Retribution
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Danny & Jamie are kidnapped by a mob boss out for revenge against Frank. But when the brothers are left in middle of the Adirondack mountains it's a race against time when they are injured & hunted. Can they survive or will Frank lose both sons? CHAP 6UP
1. Vengeance is Mine

**Title: Retribution  
><strong>**Chapter 1 – Vengeance is Mine**

**Summary:** Danny & Jamie are kidnapped by a mob boss out for revenge against Frank. But when the brothers are left in middle of the Adirondack mountains it's a race against time when they are injured & hunted. Can they survive or will Frank lose both sons?

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing from Blue Bloods.

**A/N:** Hey everyone so Alice and I are back with a new Blue Bloods action/adventure ficlet (this one will only be a few chapters long) for you all featuring our favorite brotherly duo, with of course snippets from the rest of the family. Yeah I just can't resist writing about our two fave men in blue and in danger of course :D

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><p>"Jamie…hey kid come on wake up…you okay?"<p>

"Danny…yeah…what the…what's going on?" Jamie's frantic voice is heard as he desperately pulls himself from his drugged stupor only to find that he wasn't at home, his wrists were tightly bound, his jacket was missing and he had something thick strapped to his chest.

"We…I don't…."

"What are we wearing?"

"We are both wearing parachutes. Damn whoever did this as a joke is dead!" Danny growls as his eyes turn to examine the area they were presently located in. "Okay look around for something to cut us free with and…"

"Oh I don't think you'll be free just yet Detective Reagan," a smug voice is head behind them. "And this is no joke; this is very much your reality."

Both of them whip their heads around to see two men dressed in black with masks over their faces and guns pointed at them. Their predicament just got a lot direr. They were both dressed in the same casual clothing they were wearing hours earlier when they were abducted; jeans and sweaters, jackets missing. They were then taken into the belly of the small plane where parachutes were strapped to them, their wrists bound with the pull cords in-between their palms.

"Who the hell are you?" Danny demands as he slowly stands up taking Jamie with him and then positioning himself between his similarly restrained brother and their two captors.

"You should be asking me, where the hell are you?" The first man answers.

"What do you want?" Jamie's voice demands from behind his brother.

"You," the man's thin lips twist into an evil smile under the black wool lip of the balaclava keeping his real identity concealed.

"Do you assholes have any idea the trouble you are in by kidnapping us?" Danny growls.

"A little," the man smirks. "But I guess you two have bigger things to worry about right now than some mere legal repercussions on men your father will never catch."

"Don't count on it dumb ass. What the hell is strapped to us? And what the hell is going on?"

"Well this is your stop," both men cock their guns. "And those are your means of landing."

"What?" Jamie asks in shock.

"Hope neither of you are afraid of heights."

"Danny?" Jamie asks weakly, garnering a glance back from his brother before Danny's head swivels back to the front and he glares at the two men before him.

"Don't worry little brother, big brother will be right behind you…or maybe we'll drop him first so he can catch you."

Despite the fact that he had the damn chute strapped to his back and his wrists were firmly tied together, Danny knows he can't just allow both of them to be dumped from the airplane into god knows where, with the possibility they might die and never see their families again. _Linda, the boys…_giving in wasn't an option. It was time to go into solider mode. But before Danny was able to make a move, another masked man appears from a small back alcove and comes up behind his brother, wrapping his arm around his neck and pulling Jamie's captive and struggling frame against him, his gun instantly going to his cheek; Danny turning around with a helpless and sinking feeling.

"Now Detective Reagan," the man he now loathes looks at him with a small sneer. "It's time to start."

"Start what?" Danny asks in dread.

"Hunting…season."

XXXXXXXX

**48 HOURS EARLIER**

"Anything else?" Jackie asks with an exasperated sigh.

"Nothin'," Danny groans as he tosses the file sheet onto his desk with an angry fist. "Damn bastard just disappeared into thin air."

"Well we can't arrest thin air," Jackie huffs as she looks at Danny with a concerned expression. "You know maybe we don't have a witness for a reason?"

"Yeah why is that? The Rinaldi crime family had him disappeared? Yeah tell me somethin' I don't know," Danny retorts with a whispered curse. "That smug bastard thinks he is untouchable. But we proved his son isn't," Danny finishes with a softer tone.

"I feel sorry for the mother," Jackie mentions. "Would be hard to see your son's dead body as news fodder during dinnertime without some major prior warning."

"And now we have nothin' else to corroborate that takedown," Danny's fist slams onto the table. "Because his daddy disappeared the damn witness. Luca Rinaldi thinks he's untouchable."

"Well there is a reason he has been in business around here for so long," Jackie reminds him. "How's your dad after that public taunt?"

"You think my dad loses sleep over every threat he gets?" Danny counters with a small knot growing in his stomach. "It was a grieving father just lashing out."

"His words or yours?" Jackie retorts, garnering a smirk from her partner. "Could be more to it than that."

"It's been a few days and nothin'. Trust me it was just hot air from an air head."

"Air head. There's a new one," Jackie just shakes her head and gives her partner a small smile.

"He hasn't heard from Rinaldi again and I'm sure he just shrugged it off. Jamie was a bit freaked then but then he's a bit of a green horn."

"He doesn't have the wonderful life experience in dealing with Mob bosses like you do."

"Yeah he's special," Danny chuckles as he reaches for his coat and follows after his partner.

"Yeah so are you," Jackie answers back. "Come on, lets get this day over with already."

XXXXXXXX

"Frank what is it?" Henry asks later that night.

"Nothing," Frank looks up at his father with a small frown.

"You know no matter how old a father and son get, a father can still tell when his son is lying to him. Now what gives?"

Frank takes off his glasses and leans back in the chair, looking at his father with a deep frown. "Honestly pop, it's nothing more than heated words from a grieving father."

"Ah so you are still thinking about the threat from Rinaldi. You tell Danny or Jamie about it?"

"It was a few days ago."

"I mean the one you got a few hours ago."

"How did you…"

"Hear it?" Henry smirks. "You forget I used to be you. I have ears everywhere and believe it or not they still work. That's not the issue here. A few days or not. You killed his son and he vows to take yours; that call was today. You should tell them; he hasn't dropped this yet Francis."

"Pop..."

"The damn speakerphone was on."

"And no I didn't record the call so I have no solid proof, only his word."

"That is proof enough that he means serious business."

"His son was taken down in the midst of a firefight with the NYPD. We had confirmed evidence which was sent to his lawyer and..."

"Where is your witness?"

"What did you do when…"

"Francis answer the question," Henry firmly demands.

"Our witness is gone as you damn well know," Frank huffs. "So Rinaldi should be happy about that."

"I'm sure he is," Henry replies in sarcasm.

"He took away our means of his prosecution so I'm sure he'll just push back and call it a day."

"You murdered his son Francis."

"I…"

"In his eyes, it was murder and you gave the executive order. The buck stops with you and you know it."

"Should I have just let him walk?"

"You had no choice."

"We had solid evidence," Frank argues back. "He just needs time to let this all cool down."

"A father never forgets his fallen son, you know that better than anyone," Henry reminds him.

"I know pop," Frank utters in a soft whisper. "How did you deal with…"

"The threats I got that involved my children?" Henry interrupts, garnering a nod from Frank. "I did what you are doing now. Not tell them and would sit up obsessing about it until my father came to me and forced a confession out of me like I am doing to you," Henry's voice trails off as Frank's recalls the phone call from his new nemesis hours earlier.

_'You know Reagan, I know you'd go down in a blaze of glory for this city or a hail of gunfire for your children. But how about your precious sons! How about having them killed and you helpless to do anything but watch the news the following day? JUST LIKE ME! I swear you'll pay Frank. You will pay dearly. Danny…Jamie...YOU WILL PAY! Hope you said goodbye.'_

"I can't get his words out of my head and if I tell Danny or Jamie, they'll just spend their days looking over their shoulders. On the other hand if I don't…"

"You'll spend every minute of the day doing it for them," Henry mutters. "You should at least tell Danny."

"I should tell them both. Danny is already involved in part of this case with the takedown and Jamie's squad was given the special bulletin for their beat so they are aware."

"They know what the city knows, they don't know what you know; what we know. They don't know they could be potential targets."

"To what end? That would incite the whole city against him and his family," Frank states with a heavy sigh. "Rinaldi knows that if he makes a move on my family that he'll…"

"What? Be public enemy number one? He already is damn it and he doesn't care! He is angry and you know better than anyone what an angry father does when his son is killed!" Henry lightly growls; forcing Frank's memory to replay his angry outburst and physical altercation after he was told about Joe's death.

"All he could do is take them both out with a silencer in a dark alley when they are alone and pin it all on some stooge of his and walk away laughing his ass off at us and he knows that! You'd take that risk? With their lives? On a hunch? Shame on you Francis," Henry scolds.

"I will tell them tomorrow; I promise - but in person only. I can't lose them," Frank states in a low tone.

"Trust me son, I know the feeling."

XXXXXXXX

"Hey babe, you okay?" Linda asks Danny after the boys had gone to bed and he was still up, sitting on the edge of the bed absently staring at the TV.

"Just tired."

"Want me to help remedy that?" Linda asks as she slides onto the bed behind him and slowly starts to massage his naked, tense shoulders. "Wanna talk about it?"

"It's this latest case."

"The mob shooting?"

"Yeah," Danny sighs as his body tenses again. "He um…damn it Linda he threatened dad," Danny offers with a heavy sigh.

"What did he say?"

"He said he'd make Fra…dad pay in a very personal way. I can't lose him yet…well ever," Danny frowns, his half naked body slumping into her grasp a bit more.

"I'm sure your father is no stranger to threats Danny," Linda tries to comfort.

"It's just…damn it I know this guy, well his type. He means business and he's very good at what he does for a reason. His son…his son was killed."

"And his mother heard about it on the evening news?" Linda groans.

"Hey that wasn't my call and it wasn't dad's either; it was the mayor's and at least dad can step back from that public relations nightmare. He wanted to call her personally."

"Somehow I could see Luca Rinaldi spouting off an eye for an eye and all that stuff."

"He was angry and upset at his son being killed, but his son was caught in the act and fired at us – first," Danny insists. "We were told to take him alive but…well I somehow get the feelin' he didn't want that. It was legal – which I know means absolutely nothing to a man who doesn't give a damn about anything legal. He'll want blood."

"Has he said anything further?" Linda asks.

"Not that we have been told," Danny replies, not knowing his father had already gotten another call that put him and Jamie as targets.

"I just want you to be extra careful okay, you and Jamie."

"I'll be fine. It's dad I'm worried about."

"I worry about you. You have a family to come home to Danny," Linda's arms finish her massage and wrap around her husband's bare chest, her cheek resting on his shoulder. Danny's head falls to the right and cradles his wife's his hand resting on her nearly naked thigh, his fingers pushing the edge of her nightie up a bit higher.

"I love you Linds, trust me everything is going to be just fine."

XXXXXXXX

"Can you believe the headlines today?" Renzulli huffs as he hands Jamie his cup of steaming coffee the following morning.

"Yeah it's been all over the news the past few days."

"The guy was a crook, good riddance," Renzulli offers, drawing a small smile from Jamie's lips.

"Think there will be um…you know any repercussions?" Jamie asks with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Trust me kid your old man knows how to handle these things. I'm sure this isn't the first scary guy he's gone head to head with. Just to be safe, you want an extra vest? You know put a bit of bulk on ya," Renzulli teases, as he playfully punches Jamie in the chest.

"I'll be okay," Jamie replies with a chuckle as he takes another sip of his coffee; both of them continuing up the street on their beat. But unbeknownst to the youngest Reagan, a few cars back two sets of eyes were watching him intently.

_"You got a line on Detective Reagan?"_

_"Yean him and his pretty partner went into some apartment for a collar. You?"_

_"Watchin' the rookie right now. When does this all go down?"_

_"Tonight. Just wait for my call; Reagan won't know what hit him."_

_"You got it."_

Jamie goes about his shift, his mind still uneasy about the news Danny had told him about the threat their father had gotten at the end of the press conference. Danny had looked at him and tried to assure him that this was just part of the political game and that dad would be fine, just as he always was. However, it didn't stop Jamie's mind from jumping to conclusions the first few seconds of every call they'd get that had an officer involved shooting.

"You were jumpy today kid," Renzulli pats Jamie on the back just as Jamie zips up his bomber jacket. "This will all die down and things will be back to normal. You wanna join me and Teresa for supper?"

"Danny and I are going for a beer tonight and then I have some stuff to do, but thanks."

"Alright, see you on Monday. Try to get some sleep this weekend, you earned your few days off."

"Yeah I am looking forward to an uneventful weekend," Jamie offers fatefully as he watches his partner leave. He stows his uniform into his locker along with the rest of his things and heads for the front door to leave. The weather was cool and he could see his breathe in the air, his hands shoved into his pockets as he slowly heads down the street to an all too familiar meeting place; a place his brother already was.

"Hey," Danny greets his brother as Jamie nears the bar and slowly eases himself onto one of the stools and then motions to the familiar bartender to bring him a bottle as well. "Long day?"

"Nothing too exciting," Jamie answers as he nods a thank you and then starts to quickly down his beer.

"Whoa there rookie," Danny's hand rests on his brother's and pushes the bottle back to the counter. "This ain't no competition."

"Just a bit jumpy."

"Dad will be fine," Danny tries to assure him. "He's used to dealing with these kinds of jerks."

"Sure," Jamie tosses Danny a sideways fake smile.

"Well he will be fine," Danny insists, quickly changing the topic to something more benign. They talk a bit longer before Danny's phone buzzes to life with a new call. "Its dad."

Throughout the long and busy day, Frank had tried to contact and had left messages for both of them, but each time either they were busy or he was called away and so he wasn't able to tell them when he wanted to.

"Dad, what's up?"

_"Jamie there with you?"_

"Yes Sir," Danny jokes, trying to diffuse Jamie's growing frown.

_"Danny, I need you both to come and see me right now. I have been trying to get a hold of you both all day and…"_

"What's up?"

_"I'll tell you in person."_

"Okay sure, we're on our way now."

Danny hangs up and then looks at his brother with a small frown. "Dad needs to see us right now."

"What's going on?"

"He didn't say. I'm parked out back, come on I'll drive. You look still on edge."

"Danny, I'm fine," Jamie tries to assure his brother as they both slap a couple of bucks onto the top of the bar counter and head for the back door. "Think this is about that Rinaldi thing?"

"I doubt it; it's been a few days now."

"So what do you think he wants?"

"He wants you rookie Reagan," a low voice is heard as a man steps from the shadows.

Danny quickly turns only to see three other men starting to encircle them. "Hey guys…NYPD," Danny tries.

"Yeah we know and we don't care, you are both coming with us."

"Like hell," Danny growls.

And before either could react, dart guns were raised and both targets were taken down, quickly bound, hauled into a waiting van and taken away into the night; their father waiting patiently for his sons to arrive - that meeting was never going to happen now.

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><p><strong>AN: **So what do you guys think? This will be a little more action packed (and more peril for both) than the last one so hope that's okay. It's a little action ficlet in between my next longer more plot detailed story. Please review and let me know if you want more and what you think so far. Thanks so much!


	2. The Longest Night

**Title: ****Retribution  
><strong>**Chapter 2 – ****The Longest Night **

**A/N: **Thanks everyone so much for the great reviews in chapter 1! I hope you'll keep your feedback coming b/c you know I do take it into consideration and add things in my story. For those on alert only thank but hope you'll also give me some feedback. I do hope you'll like this chapter as well and thanks in advance.

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><p>Danny looks at the fear in his brother's eyes and feels his own stomach starting to tighten. It was pitch black outside and he had no clue where on earth they were. He didn't know how long they had been missing so far but he was sure that when he and Jamie didn't show up, their father would have already started a search. However, he was also sure that these guys didn't give them anything they could call home with – they were in fact caught, alone and about to face the harsh reality of perhaps never seeing their father or families again.<p>

"What the hell is hunting season? Quit these damn games already," Danny spouts in angry frustration as he takes a step toward the man holding his brother hostage. But as he takes another step, the man tightens his grip around Jamie's neck and cocks the trigger, offering Danny a toothy smile but nothing more.

"If your beef is with me just let my brother go."

"Oh I intend to," the man slowly starts to back up toward the back exit door. "Out that door."

"Danny!" Jamie calls as he tries to pull himself free.

"Jamie!" Danny shouts as he lunges toward his brother but is quickly caught by the other two men, each grabbing a strong arm and pulling his struggling frame backward; forcing Danny to watch as Jamie is dragged toward the back of the plane where another thug was already opening the door. "Let him go!" Danny demands; but with his wrists bound and the men holding him it was all in vain.

"Danny!" Jamie yells once more as he tries to twist himself out of his captor's grasp. He feels the cold blast of air on his face as the door is pulled open and his partially restrained frame looms ever closer. With his heart rate nearing critical, Jamie eyes the darkness outside with fear; his whole body starting to seize.

"I'll bet we catch you first lawyer boy. At least I hope I do," one of the thugs laughs in Jamie's flushed face. But they don't throw Jamie out just yet instead the two men holding Danny start to drag him toward the other end of the plane.

"You might last longer solider boy but not much," one of them angrily hisses in Danny's ear.

"You will not…get away with…this…" huffs as he tries to wrestle himself free. But when a shot is fired into the air, Danny's body instantly halts and he quickly turns to where Jamie was – fearing the worst. Jamie was gone. "BASTARD!" Danny shouts as his stomach instantly lurches.

"If you hurry you might be able to catch your baby brother! That is if he's still ALIVE!" One of the masked thugs laughs at Danny as the front door opens. Before Danny knew that he had to something, anything to keep them on the plane and then try to fight for control. But now with Jamie already on his way down and possibly injured, his one thought was to get down to the ground and find his precious sibling.

"I will find you and I WILL KILL YOU!" Danny shouts into the face of the two men before he's pushed into the inky black of night, his vain curses lost to the sound of the airplane engines and his own pulsing ear drums. His bound wrists frantically feel for the pull cord and his mind offers a few seconds of thanks that he actually was given the right thing to pull. But did Jamie know what to do? He had at one time told Jamie about the procedure about jumping from a plane when on a special mission in the Army but was Jamie listening then? Would it help save his life now?

With their wrists bound they would have very little movement in the air and therefore not able to maneuver themselves as well as if they had both hands free. Of course they had a bigger problem, it was pitch black – and they didn't know where they were heading. They could be plunging into the ocean for all he knew.

_Linda…_his mind trails off as he pulls his cord and prays for a soft landing.

"Oh god…" Jamie frantically calls as he pulls his cord and then prays that he'll land somewhere that won't injure him. He had heard the words but didn't really think the men were serious until he was pushed out of the airplane and then heard a shot. _Hunting season? Catch you first..._Were they serious? He'd never make it on his own; he had no training and was more than inexperienced, he was scared to death.

"Danny!" His voice dies out into the black of night. Was his brother dead? The noise from the plane, combined with the pounding in his ears was almost deafening, hindering him from hearing his brother shouting his name. _Danny can't be shot…he can't be dead…I can't be alone…_

His eyes continue to squint into the night sky around him, his whole frame pulsing with adrenaline, his bound wrists tightly clutching his cord; offering some kind of directional assistance, but not much. _A team on the ground…waiting…hunting…killing?_

Danny had survival training as a solider, but he didn't; what would he do if he was indeed alone? He'd be caught and killed for sure. Was this payback from the Rinaldi crime family, or something else? He knew that Danny had garnered enemies during his tenor so far on the job, but he was new; a rookie, what did he do to deserve this sick treatment? Just his last name or something more?

The noise from the plane finally dies out, quickly replaced by the beating of his heart, his mind a frantic mess of panicked thoughts. Where was he? Would he find Danny? Would they be okay? Would he land unharmed? Where would he land? How? Would he…and on it went, round and round – a myriad of unanswerable questions. The biggest of course being, who the hell was responsible for their brazen kidnapping and this terrifying situation?

The wind starts to rush against him, forcing his trembling frame to feel the chill even more and his stomach to tighten further. Jamie is finally able to pick up the horizon outline. "Mountains? Where the hell am I?" Jamie asks frantically. But his situation quickly worsens when he hears a snap and realizes that he's closer to the ground than he first thought. The chute snags another branch and this time his body jerks to the right and upward as the wind rushes in from below and then pummels him back to the left.

"Ahhh," Jamie groans as he feels a small branch snag his cheek. He brings his bound wrists up in time to cover his face; only to panic when his chute gets tangled in the tips of a tree, leaving him helplessly dangling a few meters above the ground.

"Help me…" he instinctively calls out, not really expecting anyone to hear or come to his rescue. _You will be caught first, _are the haunting words of his previous captor that now fill the youngest Reagan with terror as he struggles in vain to get himself free of the ropes and branches.

"Danny…where are you?" He mentions in a sad tone; his scared and dark figure bathed in black and struggling in vain for freedom.

XXXXXXXX

Danny takes a few short breaths, trying to get his lungs to stop heaving and his mind to clear; hoping his ears will pick up any sounds of his brother. "Jamie…damn it kid you better be alive," Danny mumbles as his wrists still continue to twist around in hopes of getting the ropes loosened. He had tried to visualize in what direction his brother might have been dropped but with darkness hindering his efforts, he knew it was just going to be the luck of the draw.

Danny tries to push aside Linda's worried voice after she'd get the call from his father and what she might be telling the boys about where their father was and why he wasn't coming home anytime soon – maybe ever again? _Stop it! _Danny scolds himself, forcing his mind to push away thoughts of his demise. He had a great family and an established life to get back to – dying wasn't an option. But he had to get to his brother somehow; his mind and heart both refusing to believe that Jamie had indeed be shot and was possibly dying somewhere in the dark, on the cold ground – alone and scared.

He had taken all sorts of harsh condition survival training, so being tossed from an airplane in the middle of the night didn't scare him. Having his wrists bound and absolutely no way to free himself at the moment was bothersome, but not as much as the fact that he now had his young, inexperienced brother to keep safe while men were going to hunt them – their only mission was to kill both Reagan boys as retaliation for something their father did in the name of the law.

"Damn you Rinaldi, you bastard," Danny curses as he is finally able to make out the outline around him. "Mountains," he mumbles as his mind tries to process from the time they were taken, drugged and to what time it could be now. "The Adirondacks?" He ponders as he feels the air starting to change. Ground was coming up.

Danny braces himself as best he can with his bound wrists and utters an angry grunt when his body meets the ground and crumples hardly, rolling onto the harsh surface and finally coming to rest; his limbs tangled with the ropes and the chute. Danny's fingers quickly feel the ground around him for something, anything sharp that he can use to cut himself free and then go in search of his brother.

_Hunting season. _

Those words scared him – but again mostly for his brothers sake. As a solider overseas, he was used to being hunted, by animal and human predators alike. But this was different, he wasn't here for a military op; he was an innocent person, kidnapped and taken to be the pawn of a twisted and vengeful father.

Danny feels his body heat starting to cool rapidly. Both of them had been wearing jackets at the bar but those were taken; leaving both brothers with only a sweater and undershirt as well as their jeans; not much protection against the merciless elements. He feels his fingers starting to slide around the jagged rock and knows he's cut himself, but refuses to give in; he keeps going, rubbing the rock back and forth with fury between the ropes, praying for a quick release – he finally gets it.

"Damn," Danny curses as he pulls his wrists free and then shoves the jagged weapon into the back pocket of his jeans. He quickly unfurls himself from the mass of the chute, bundles it up and knows he has to take it with him; he cannot leave any evidence of his landing for his enemies. He quickly scuffs the ground with his boots but knows in the darkness he cannot tell if he covered all the drops of blood or left anything for them to find.

Danny walks a few feet and then stops, his ears listening for sounds, any sounds of his brother. "Talk to me kid…where the hell are you?" He whispers in a frantic panic; afraid that his brother might have already been caught and now at the mercy of a ruthless villain.

He figures he would head to the left of where he was, as the plane had gone to the right; the actual direction of course lost until the sun would come up and then he could at least get some bearings. Feeling the cold and fatigue starting to settle in, he wraps the chute around him for some added warmth; thankful that it wasn't at least raining.

_Linda…I'm so sorry. _

XXXXXXXX

"Any word yet?" Linda asks gently as she nervously paces Frank's office; her two boys, Sean and Jack at home with their cousin, Nikki babysitting.

"Nothing," Frank frowns as he hangs up the phone and then looks past his worried daughter in law to his father, Henry and daughter, Erin. "Is the patrol still at the house?"

"It was when I left Nikki there," Erin assures him. "Who could have done this?"

"Luca Rinaldi," Henry pipes up, drawing a furtive glance from Frank.

"Do we have proof of this?" Erin quickly interjects.

"No we don't," Frank narrows his eyes at his father. "We don't know for sure. And if we make a move against an opponent that big without the facts or some hard evidence then he'll just laugh at us and tell us to take a hike."

"Damn it," Erin curses.

"So what do we do now?"

"The one thing we all hate to but have been doing, wait."

"Danny and Jamie are out there…well wherever and…" Linda's voice breaks, instantly drawing Erin to her side, her arms around her sister in laws trembling shoulders.

"They'll be okay."

"If they aren't dead already," Henry retorts.

"Pop...that's not helping," Frank groans.

"You shoulda grounded both of them until this was all over," Henry huffs.

"Thanks I'll remember that for next time," Frank just shakes his head as the phone rings. "What did you find Ron?"

"Both jackets and phones have been found and…"

"Where?" Linda pipes up.

"An alley behind the bar a few doors down from…"

"The police station," Henry throws up his hands. "Damn bastard."

"Any useable prints?"

"Just Danny's and Jamie's. It looks like there was a mild scuffle in the alley and some drag marks but nothing conclusive that we can use."

"But I doubt they went willingly," Frank ponders.

"Maybe they were drugged? We'll keep working on it Commissioner, sorry."

"Right thanks," Frank sighs as he hangs up and then looks at his family before him.

"Drugged. Cowards," Henry growls. "They hurt those boys and they'll have me to contend with."

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Erin frowns.

"If we get this city in an uproar, Rinaldi will kill them both, our silence buys us some time."

"Are you sure?" Henry counters, drawing his son's stare directly to him.

"No…no I'm not. The only thing I am sure of is that I am worried sick and it's going to be a very long night," Frank looks at his father, his eyes trying to hide his panicked terror that he could lose both his boys to something beyond his control.

"Yeah for us and them. Francis...at least stop pacing," Henry mentions in a lighter tone. "That's my job."

Frank looks at his father and offers a small nod but only remains in place; having no intention of really sitting down to rest while his sons were missing. As soon as they failed to show up; even late by ten minutes he knew inside that something was wrong. And then it took over - _guilt. _That was the one word and emotion that now threatened to dictacte his actions; already suceeding in breaking down his mental sanity. If something was to happen becuase he failed to warn them, he knows he could never live with that outcome. But he pushes aside the notion that they'll never be found and tells himself that he has the best people working on it and Luca Rinaldi might have won this skirmish but he would never win the ultimate battle. He had to believe his sons were still alive.

Linda looks at Frank and then back out the window into the black of night and swallows back a few more tears. _Danny...oh god you better be okay. Please be okay...you and Jamie. Please._

XXXXXXXX

Danny stops in his tracks and listens once more, cursing his pounding ear drums and the fact that his body was once again starting to feel the cold. But he knows if he chances to make a fire, that it could be the last thing he ever does and doesn't want to take that chance.

He runs a few more meters before he stops, finally hearing something in the distance; his mind flooding with hope that it's his elusive brother. _Jamie!...just hold on kid, I'm coming. _He quickens his pace and then stops, picking up cursing but in a tone too low and inaudible to make a confirmed identification. Danny draws closer and then stops; but so did the muffled sound. Damn it!

Jamie's ears pick up a branch breaking and he immediately stops his actions and just listens; the darkness laughing at the young man's helpless and terrified predicament. _Please let it be Danny, _his mind begs in silent misery. With his wrists still tightly bound, he knows he'll be easy prey if it's one of Rinaldi's men.

The silence starts to further close in upon him, wrapping it's thick cold stifling arms around his now lightly shaking body, whispering in his ear that he was alone and would soon be caught and meet a slow and painful demise. But just before his fear can get the best of him; he hears his name being called softly by a familiar voice and his mind instantly settles.

"Jamie!" Danny calls out in a soft whisper, as he edges his way into the darkness toward where he thinks his brother is.

"Danny!" Jamie exclaims as he struggles in the ropes keeping him up in the tree.

"Walk toward the sound of my voice."

"I can't," Jamie whispers back. "I'm stuck in a tree above you."

Danny stops and looks up; finally able to make out a form struggling against the inky backdrop and groans. "Way to go kid."

"Funny," Jamie huffs in return.

"Are you hurt?"

"Not really. You?"

"No and I'm free."

"Show off," Jamie sighs as he tries to pull a bit more at his bound wrists. "Danny?" Jamie asks when he hears nothing for a few seconds.

"Yeah I'm still here. I can't see well in the dark and don't know what shape your chute is in. If you can't wiggle free then I'm gonna hafta find a way to get you down…"

"Okay…"

"In the morning."

"What?" Jamie asks in shock.

"Well I can't see anything to climb up on," Danny grumbles his response.

"Danny you can't leave me like this," Jamie states in haste, trying to hide the fear in his voice. "I'm cold."

Danny winces at the tone of his brother's voice and knows he has to do something to keep him safe and warm; he was the oldest, it was what he had to do. But how? He literally couldn't see anything and knows that if he gets himself hurt, then Jamie would be in trouble for sure.

"Seriously Jamie I can't see my damn hand in front of my face, very well…I see the tree, your outline but that's about it. if I fall and break my leg or something…but look I'm not going anywhere okay?"

Jamie just shakes his head as he feels his eyes wanting to water. He was tied up, cold and scared; despite the fact that his brother was only a few feet away. "Just promise you won't leave me like this okay?"

"I give you my word," Danny answers firmly. "I can't even build a fire so it's gonna be cold for both of us. At least just try to shallow and control your breathing okay?"

"Okay," Jamie agrees softly as he pulls his bound wrists his chest and tries to wrap his cold fingers further into the folds of his sweater. "I heard that shot…"

"Yeah me to. I thought you were hit. Guess they were just firing into the air and wanted us to think that one of us was either dead or dying."

"Who are they Danny? Rinaldi's men?"

"Would be my guess," Danny huffs as he settles himself against the face of the tree, wrapping the thin material of the chute around his tense frame and cursing himself for leaving his brother just dangling in the tree. But he didn't know what the tree had to offer and if he was injured they'd be doomed.

"I don't want to fall asleep."

"Just close your eyes kid, I'll stay awake all night."

"Really?"

"Jamie, it's going to be okay," Danny tries to assure him. "I got out of situations a lot worse than this," he tries to comfort his brother.

"Really?" Jamie asks again.

"Damn you sound like my boys," Danny teases, eliciting a small chuckle from his trapped brother. "Just give it a rest and we'll see what we are facing in the morning."

But Jamie's senses were too keen and so for the next few hours both of them fight against the darkness that was desperately trying to take over. Finally unable to keep his heavy eyes open any longer, Jamie's lids close and his head hangs forward, bound wrists just dangling in front and the rest of his frame still trapped in the cobweb of ropes and chute material.

Danny's head rests against the tree truck, his eyes darting nervously around between his brother's now still form and anything else that moved around them. However, Rinaldi wasn't stupid and even right now there could be men watching them with night vision goggles. He knows Jamie is scared but hopes that once he's free, the inborn Reagan instinct will kick in and push aside his fears so that he'll be able to help out where needed. He knows Jamie isn't a complete wimp but also knows that he has no formal survival training – even the smallest mistake could cost them their lives. He could also be a liability. But as tempted as he was to leave Jamie safely tucked into the top of the tree, he gives his head a shake and then tries to ponder a plan of escape; all would depend on which side of the mountains the sun would be rising.

Danny draws his cold hands under his armpits, wanting to ease their shaking at least a bit more; Jamie wasn't afforded that luxury and knows that as soon as he cuts his brother loose in the morning, he'll have to make sure that he's warm enough to make efficient travel as leaving him behind while he goes for help isn't an option; where he goes, Jamie goes.

But just before Danny allows himself to drift into the dark realm of sleep, he hears a branch break in the distance and his heart races. He looks up and knows that if the foe is four legged, Jamie will be safe; if the foe was two legged – his brother was trapped. What would he do?

The noise stops and Danny's heart rate increases as he slowly moves himself to his right, around the tree so that he was now hidden from anyone that might be coming toward them. Hating the fact that Jamie was still so vulnerable in his current predicament he knows he can do nothing but wait – and waiting was the one thing in their family they all hated to do.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: So who is coming toward them? Friend or foe? Hopefully you are still liking this story and it's got you at least a little on the edge of your seat! Hehehe please review and let me know how we are doing. Lots more to come for our boys so stay tuned and thanks again.

**PS:** Hope you also liked my 2nd to last one shot for this season 'No more Secrets' it's Jamie centric also b/c that was a great eppy! To Wolfeylady and gymkidz you both disabled your review reply/messaging so I cannot personally thank you now like I did before but thank you both for reading and for your reviews - most appreciated! :D


	3. Hunting Season

**Title: ****Retribution  
><strong>**Chapter 3 – Hunting Season**

**A/N: **Thank you all once again. CMT1992 you have disabled messaging so I cannot thank you personally but have to here so thanks.

* * *

><p><em>'We got you now rookie…didn't think you'd last long…tie him real tight…he'll make nice bait for his brother…'<em>

"No…" Jamie's lips offer softly, his body jerking in response to the tormented nightmares in his mind. He sees himself being the helpless bait before Danny is also captured and then both of them are killed. His eyes snap open and his body starts to thrash about until he takes a deep breath; telling himself to calm down and look for Danny and a way out the tree. His hands were colder than expected and his whole body was stiff, but his mind had one thought – get out of the damn tree. He breathes onto his hands to give them extra warmth.

Jamie quickly twists his head around; the sky was starting to lighten and the darkness was slipping into the base of the mountains around them. But when he doesn't see his brother anywhere, his mind starts to panic once again. He hears a small snap behind him and with his bound wrists, grabs onto the chute cording and tries to look behind him. Nothing. His brother was nowhere in sight.

"Danny!" Jamie hisses in fright, wondering if something possibly happened to his brother during the night and he was left to fend for himself.

"Well well well…" Jamie hears a low taunting voice and then turns to see a lone man approaching with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. "Looky what I found. The littlest Reagan stuck in a tree and all tied up. Are ya scared little boy?" He laughs as he pulls his shotgun and aims it at Jamie. "Where's big brother?"

Jamie looks at the man and narrows his gaze but says nothing in return.

"Aww what's the matter you scared of the big bad wolf?" He inquires with a mocking sneer.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Your worst nightmare kid, now the hell where is your damn brother?" The man demands in an angry tone, forcing Jamie's body to feel a small shudder.

"Right here you jerk," Danny curses as he charges from behind the tree with a big stone in his fist.

Jamie's frame struggles in the tree above the two wrestling men; his bound wrists pulling and pulling on the damaged chute with all the strength he was able to muster. He feels the ropes starting to give way thanks to his moving about and starts to intensify his efforts; especially when he hears Danny grunting a bit more than normal. He wiggles and pulls for all he's worth until he feels himself giving way to gravity and then with a small yelp flies through the air and lands on the back of the thug that was about to get the upper hand on Danny.

"Good…timing," Danny growls with a ragged breath.

Jamie rolls off the larger man's slumped frame, watching as Danny kicks the large thug in the side and then grabs the butt end of the shotgun and slams it into his temple, rendering him unconscious. Danny takes in a few deep breaths and then kneels at Jamie's side.

"Anything hurt from the fall?"

"No. Can you cut me loose?" Jamie offers his bound wrists to his brother.

Danny gazes at Jamie's pale skin and then rests his hand on his brother's cheek. "Damn it you're freezing."

"Well I didn't have anything...to keep me warm up there," Jamie huffs as he comes up onto his knees and watches Danny retrieve a Swiss army knife from their fallen attacker and then return, cutting his ropes free and then allowing Danny to fold his arms and tuck his freezing hands under his armpits to bring them some much needed warmth.

"Just try to relax, it'll make ya warmer," Danny instructs his shivering sibling as he wraps his arms around Jamie, hoping to help ease his shaking.

"Think…dad knows where we are?" Jamie asks with a small gasp as his body finally starts to feel a bit more warmth. His eyes remain on Danny as his older brother returns to the unconscious body and starts to strip away what he can. "What are…"

"Zip ties," Danny shakes his head. "Good thing there was only one of him."

"Yeah for now. What are we going to do?"

"Damn no phone and only one round in the shotgun, these guys are good."

"Good?"

"Well if any of them are caught by us there is little we can use; that is a trained enemy," Danny growls as he shoves the pocket knife into his jeans pocket. He quickly strips off the man's jacket and puts it around Jamie's shoulders to help him warm up faster. Then using the zip ties he binds and gags their attacker and then heads back to his brother, helping him to his feet.

"You okay to travel?"

"Yes," Jamie answers in haste. "Please let's just get away from here. Do you know where to go?"

"I think we are in the Adirondacks and there are only a few places that you can obtain a license to actually hunt."

"But it's not hunting season," Jamie mentions as they carefully make their way in the direction their attacker came from.

"It is if you have a silenced weapon as I'm guessing these guys do. I think these shotguns are just for show. One round only? Yeah they are only sent out here to round us up and bring us back to whoever is waiting….and no I don't think dad knows where we are. At least not yet, we are on our own."

"Great," Jamie huffs under his breath. Danny gives him a sideways glance and then curses under his breath; he was sure his family was worried sick by now.

"We'll be okay kid, I promise."

XXXXXXXX

"I am tired of hearing excuses Don, now find me some damn answers!" Frank's angry voice bellows as he slams down the phone, quickly pulling both Linda and Erin from their light slumber.

"What's going on?" Henry asks as he returns with a bagful of breakfast sandwiches and coffee.

"Nothing," Frank huffs as he slumps back down into his home office chair. In the middle of the night they had all headed back to Frank's; every single phone on alert in case there was word of the two missing Reagan's. Linda had told her boys that Danny and Jamie had to go undercover and they would be home as soon as they could; no sense worrying her boys about their father when they didn't have all the facts.

"Here let me take that," Linda offers help to Henry, anything to keep herself busy and to keep her mind occupied and not thinking that her beloved husband and his brother were lying dead somewhere.

"Any word Francis?"

"Nothing yet pop," Frank replies with a deep frown.

"And we can't press Rinaldi," Erin groans as she fixes her hair into a ponytail and then rubs her face. "What the hell is he waiting for?"

"Your father to cave," Henry laments.

"I think that…" Frank starts only to have the phone interrupt him again. He presses speaker and all movement comes to a dead halt.

_"Sleep well Commissioner?"_

"What do you want?" Frank grits his teeth as the taunting voice of his nemesis, Luca Rinaldi fills the room.

_"Just wanted to know if you wanted to do a little fatherly bonding."_

"Over what you sick bastard?" Henry growls.

_"__You know Frank…my son was my life. How about yours? Think on that."_

And before anyone else in the room can utter another word the line goes dead and Frank's hand swats a nearby cup, sending it to the floor and spraying the side of the desk with glass and coffee. "Damn it," Frank mildly curses as he slumps down into the chair behind him.

"You gotta do something," Henry states firmly.

"Like what? I am open to suggestions that won't get my two SONS KILLED!" Frank's voice booms before he takes a deep breath and turns away, clenching his fists tightly at his sides. "There might be a way."

"Will I like it?" Erin asks slowly.

"You mean is it legal?" Frank asks gravely to which Erin nods in confirmation. "We can argue semantics later."

"Atta boy Francis," Henry goads, garnering an eye roll from Erin.

"It could mean their lives."

"Will it get us on the front page for the wrong reasons?"

"If we do this right only we will know. Erin, time is running out; we have to do something."

XXXXXXXX

The day was going to be overcast in the mountains, ensuring the two underdressed men would feel the chill if they didn't seek shelter and at least start a fire to warm their tired, cold and weary frames.

"Doesn't seem like we've covered much ground," Jamie lightly moans as he glances around him, praying that his fear wouldn't betray itself to his brother. Danny especially he hated to feel weak around; always having respect for Danny because of all the things he had done and the strength he just seemed to exude to everyone around him. But unlike Joe, Jamie was never able to confide much in Danny, always thinking that Danny felt him a nuisance who should have stayed in law school.

"Well we have to be careful," Danny answers slowly, his sharply trained vision always scanning the landscape around them; wanting to make sure they didn't fall into any hidden traps that would render either one of them helpless prey. "Hungry?" He knew it was a silly question and the answer was obvious but it was better than listening to the growing silence and his brother's nervous breathing.

"Starving," Jamie answers with a small frown. "I used up that beer long ago. You?"

"Yeah same here," Danny stops and then looks around.

"What is it?" Jamie asks in haste.

"It's…I thought I saw something…maybe it was nothing."

"Maybe it was our hunters?"

"Maybe," Danny looks away, his ears picking up something in the distance. "Okay we gotta find a place to hide for a bit."

"What? Really? They're coming?" Jamie asks in a panic.

"Yeah, come on. I saw...well something."

"_Something_," Jamie mutters under his breath as he looks in the direction Danny was. But his vision wasn't trained to seek out didn't belong and so to him all he saw was the bleakness of miles and miles of unfriendly forest and nothing to use to aide their escape or seek shelter in. He follows after Danny and looks at what appears to be a small hole in the side of a large mound.

"Get in."

"But…me?"

"You want to try to fight them off? No offense kid, but your fighting skills really need to be worked on."

"Would help if I had a sparring partner."

"Fine, I'll gladly kick your ass when we get back," Danny smirks. "Now hide."

Jamie just shakes his head but quickly turns and starts to burrow himself into the small, dark hole; telling himself that he didn't care if there were bugs or snakes, this could save his life. He stuffs himself into the back and winds himself into a ball, clutching his knees to his chest and praying for his heart to stop racing so fast so that he could actually be of some use. But all he could think on was the warning that he'd be caught first and then killed; or used as bait to trap his brother and then both of them killed. He watches Danny's denim clad legs at the entrance to the hole and then they were gone.

"Danny?" Jamie hisses softly, his senses now furiously listening to the silence starting to engulf him once more. But he knows that if Danny is scouting the area then he'll have to stay put – at least for now. But just as he feels his body starting to relax, his entire frame seizes as a strangers voice is heard; one that sends chills down his spine.

"I think they went this way. I want the kid – got me a special treat in store for him."

Jamie closes his eyes tightly, praying that they were just a tormenting figment of his frightened imagination. However, they were very very real; and getting closer to the opening of the hole. Would he be found? Was this the end?

"How about you force him to watch me go one on one with big brother and then you can have him all to yourself."

"Deal," the first voice laughs, forcing Jamie's stomach to want to lurch. _Danny! Where are you?_ He hears the crunching footsteps getting closer to the mouth of the hole and his eyes frantically start to scan for a way out the back – there was none, he was trapped again.

"I think…" the second voice starts and then stops. "Wait…did you hear something?"

_Hear something? Did they hear him? Was he caught? _Jamie holds his breath, frozen in place and wondering what the hell was going on outside. His eyes had finally grown accustomed to the small dark space he was temporarily entombed in, but he knows that if he even moves a finger, he's as good as dead. _Want the kid…special treat for him._

"I think I hear them…come on this way and keep your damn voice down."

Jamie waits for what seems like an eternity until all that is left is silence and the sound of his heart reverberating off his chest cavity. He tells himself that if they heard Danny, then Danny might be in trouble and he has to help him. Even if his fighting skills needed work – he could use a stone, stick or even pure rage – but he had to do something. He reaches the mouth of the small hole and then tries to peer past the small brush that Danny had put in the way to conceal his hiding place.

Taking a deep breath, Jamie pokes his head out, still down on all fours.

"Da…" he tries only to have a hand cover his mouth and pull him back. His whole body starts to panic until he hears a familiar voice in his ear. "It's me," Danny's voice is heard as he lets Jamie go and kneels down beside him. "Just hold still for a sec."

"Thought…they got you," Jamie lightly pants as he looks at Danny in concern.

"I ain't leavin' you out here alone to fend for yourself," Danny gives his younger brother a small smile. "Ready?"

"Which way?"

"The way they came from," Danny nods with his head.

"Where were you?"

"Sending them off in the wrong direction," Danny smirks. "Away from their trapped friend," he refers to the other man they zip tied and left by Jamie's destroyed parachute. Danny helps Jamie to his feet and then both of them vey carefully back away from the hiding alcove and head toward what they hope is at least a place with a phone. Both of them were hungry and thirsty and knowing that they couldn't go much longer without anything in their stomachs.

"Did they say anything?" Danny's low voice breaks into Jamie's thoughts.

"Just some threats," Jamie shrugs, not wanting to show himself more afraid than he already was.

"Anything in particular?"

"Just stuff," Jamie answers without looking at Danny for longer than a few seconds, his gaze slightly dropping before he looks back up. Danny frowns as he looks at his brother, knowing from the way that his brother had just tensed and his eyes dropped that he had heard something more than a mere threat. In any case, it was just further impetus to get his inexperienced brother safely out of the woods.

They walk for about half hour more, both of them now really feeling the effects of their lack of food and water; their energy sapping and their adrenaline nearly spent.

"Danny…I need to rest," Jamie slowly slumps against a tree, wanting to rest at least a few minutes.

"No way…we gotta keep going," Danny takes a few more steps away from his brother.

"Danny," Jamie calls out in a low tone, momentarily distracting his brother but then watching in horror as Danny's foot gets caught on a snag wire, instantly opening up a small hole – not enough to bury him in, but enough to pull him down and cause him to yell in pain as a pointed stake opens a gash in his side.

"NO!" Jamie shouts, not caring about the yell that would draw their hunters. He hurries toward the opening and frantically starts to pull Danny's now injured frame from the trap. "Danny I'm sorry," he rambles as they clear the hole and then slowly make their way toward a nearby tree, Danny lifting his bloodied sweater side and both of them wincing at the ugly wound.

"I'm so sorry," Jamie offers again in remorse, hastily searching his pockets for something he can use to help stop the blood flow.

"Okay so I'm sure they heard that…ah damn it," Danny winces as he pulls out a small twig that had got imbedded in the sweater and was poking into the chewed up flesh. "We gotta move."

"But you're bleeding bad."

"Trust me, they'll do a lot worse to us."

Jamie takes off the jacket that he had been wearing from the thug that had first attacked them and gives it to his brother as they head further into the forest, both of them hoping they were heading for a place to seek shelter and safety. They hear footsteps in the distance behind them and exchange worried glances; they were now being hunted for sure.

"No matter what happens to me…you keep going," Danny manages with a small huff as his hand remains clamped over his side. He knows the wound isn't that bad, but he also knows that blood loss would equal heat loss and that was something he couldn't afford – neither of them could.

But just as they round the corner of a big tree, it was Jamie's turn to spring a trap, his arm getting tangled in an overhead trip wire and causing a branch to come flying through the air, catching him in the stomach and sending him backward into the tree. Jamie's face connects with the trunk, his bottom lip splitting open and his lungs being winded temporarily.

"Jamie!" Danny exclaims as he rushes to his brother's side. He gently cradles his head in his dirty hands and winces when he sees a small trickle of red starting to decorate his brother's pale skin. Danny hears the two men reach the hole that he had fallen into and he freezes in his actions, holding his brother in his grasp and praying that Jamie doesn't wake up at the wrong time.

"Ah so you do bleed red Reagan!" One of the hunters shouts, making's Danny's body involuntarily shudder. "I look forward to spilling it all."

"You hand over your little brother and make we can make a deal."

_Go to hell asshole, you'll never get either one of us, _Danny's mind curses as he clutches Jamie's dazed frame in his grasp.

"We'll get you both – it's just a matter of time – and times running out – FOR YOU!" One of them finishes with an angry shout. "YOU HEAR ME?"

_Yeah dumb ass, the whole world can hear you, _Danny's mind chides once more as he remains hidden behind the tree. He rests his head, hoping Jamie will wake up when needed. He hopes the two men will head in the opposite direction – but it wasn't to be; they were headed right for him.

"I smell me some blue," the voice taunts as it starts to get louder.

Jamie finally starts to stir in his brother's grasp but he too was in no shape to put up any kind of good fight, having sustained a blow to his head and some bruising to his ribs. They were both, cold, tired, hungry and wounded. If they got out of this fight alive, it would now be a fight for survival indeed; especially as the sky overhead was now threatening rain.

Then for a few seconds, Danny hears nothing but silence and the sound of his own breath escaping his lips. His side was throbbing and his arms tired from holding Jamie in his grasp but his mind was now in a panic wondering what happened to their two hunters. If he chanced to move and they were on the other side of the tree – it was game over. He didn't have to wait too long for his answer.

The two men appear.

They were caught – was it game over?

"Aww how sweet," a smug voice is heard as he rounds the tree and spies Danny holding up his brother. The man aims the shotgun at them as the other comes around the other side and does the same, trapping the two Reagan brothers between them before Danny has a chance to make a move.

"You have something that I want," one of them eyes Jamie with an evil glance; as he pumps the barrel of the gun. "And I don't mind killing you to get it."

XXXXXXXX

"Think this will work Francis?" Henry asks after they were just left alone in Frank's small home office together.

"Marino is the best computer hacker the NYPD has. It's an illegal hack but pop, Danny and Jamie's lives could depend on this."

"Go for it. I don't care what it takes, you gotta find our boys. And don't tell Erin I said that," Henry lightly warns. "Just find them Francis, before it's too late."

"Okay," Frank picks up the phone and looks at his father with a deep frown. "We could all go down for this if it ever gets out."

"Who's going to tell? The man that kidnapped your sons?" Henry counters.

"Marino, what did you find?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Okay so will our boys escape? What other dangers will they face? Will Frank find them in time? Who else is waiting for them in the woods? Hope you are still liking this little action packed ficlet and please review before you go!

**PS:** Hope you also all checked out my last one shot for the season called 'The Templar Falls?'


	4. Caught!

**Title: ****Retribution  
><strong>**Chapter 4 – ****Caught!**

* * *

><p>Jamie hears the man's request and feels his body tighten in Danny's grasp. He licks his lips and nearly gags on the coppery taste of his own blood now swishing around on his tongue and slowly sliding down his throat. With his head still pounding and his chest aching he knows that he'd never stand a chance on his own but also knows there is no way either of them are going to willingly comply with the request.<p>

"Why do you want with my brother?" Danny demands as Jamie finally stands upright.

"That's for me to know and him to find out."

"Danny, don't let him take me," Jamie states in a panic, drawing two small snickers from their hunters.

"Come to me boy."

"Forget it you sick bastard," Danny angrily retorts.

"Like I said," the man cocks the gun and aims it Danny's chest. "I really don't mind killing you to get him. Now what's it going to be."

"Danny…"

"Shut up Jamie."

"Danny…" Jamie turns to his brother with a placid expression, pressing into him and fishing for the Swiss army knife. "I'll go with him."

"Like hell you will," Danny stalls, hiding Jamie's fists so that he can unfurl the small blade. He had felt Jamie's hands reaching for the knife and knew his brother's absurd compliance was just a rouse. Both know it wouldn't do much damage but neither had a choice – it was now a fight to the death and they weren't about to go willingly.

"Hope this works," Jamie whispers as he finally gets the knife between his balled fist. With his back to the man wanting him and Danny's to the man on their right, the knife was kept from view. Danny nods to his brother and Jamie slowly turns, his heart about to give way and his brain begging for a favorable outcome toward him. Jamie lunges at the man, punching him in the neck with the small blade and causing the man to scream in pain and stagger backwards.

Danny rushes at the other man that was going to attack Jamie from behind and slams his fist into his face. Both of them wrestle for the gun as Jamie tries to pull himself away. The knife didn't puncture the major jugular artery so the man was able to push past his searing pain and spurting blood and charge the youngest Reagan.

Jamie's body slams into the ground on his back, his lungs gasping for air as the large thug looms over him. He is able to dodge the first punch to his chest by rolling to the side, but isn't successful in averting the second one to his side and cries out as the large fist connects with his tender ribs. Jamie kicks at the man's leg and uses the momentary distraction to twist himself around, dig his hands into the ground and pull himself away. But to no avail.

"Time to go boy," the thug laughs as he grabs the back of Jamie's sweater and yanks him back. With fear of what he could endure coursing through his entire system, Jamie pulls for all he's worth, finally turning and sending an angry fist into the man's groin. The large man yelps in pain and drops his grip on Jamie's sweater. Jamie pulls himself free and then looks around for a rock. Upon seeing one he frantically grabs for it and then swings at his attackers head; hoping to do what Danny had done earlier. However, he misses and the large man pounces.

Danny in them meantime, yells out as his side sustains another hit to his wound. But with the man's ominous warning about his brother he bites back the pain and punches back, finally breaking the man's nose and forcing his head to slam backward. The man yells in pain as blood starts to come forth, covering his face and Danny's fist. Danny's ears pick up sickening laughter and knows that Jamie needs help. He rolls onto his side and fishes around for the small knife that Jamie had dropped earlier. Upon finding it, he grabs it and jabs it into the side of his attacker's leg; forcing the man to yell in pain and step back. Danny hits the knife, causing the man to yell out even harder. Danny finally spies the silenced weapon the man was hiding in his shoulder holster and lunges for it; clawing at the weapon until he has it in his grips and then skillfully takes his opponent down.

The man's body falls, offering a clear view of his brother still trying to get the upper hand with his attacker.

"We are going to have so much fun you and me," the man sneers as he finally wraps his arms around Jamie's arms, pinning his arms to his side and rendering him nearly helpless.

"Not in my lifetime you're not," Danny growls as he shoots the man in the back and listens to his cry as he instantly drops his brother and slumps to the ground. Danny races for Jamie, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him away. He looks at the fear radiating from Jamie's blue eyes and knows he has to get him someplace safer.

"This way," Danny starts to lead them back in the direction they were originally headed; away from the two bodies now lying limply in the forest. However, what they failed to realize was that the first shot to the head killed the first man, the shot in the back slammed into a vest. And while their backs were turned, something in the forest started to stir; slowly picking itself up and quietly stalking after them once again.

"You'll pay for that Reagan," the thug whispers in a low evil tone as he pulls out a hidden phone.

"You okay?" Jamie asks Danny as they head further into the forest.

"Nothin' a week in a hot tub with Linda won't cure," Danny answers with a sideways smile. "You?"

"Yeah fine," Jamie offers a fake nod. But he knew he wasn't able to fool his brother; only thankful that Danny didn't press him right now for further details. The man's threat still dances around in his frantic brain and he feels his whole body shudder at the thought that he would be caught and that terrifying future would come true.

"Why me?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You ever heard someone say that to you?" Danny asks quietly.

"No," Jamie answers, keeping his eyes fixed forward. "I guess was no big deal you know."

"Right it was," Danny huffs, making Jamie look at him in haste. "Nothin' to be ashamed about kid."

"Made me sick."

"You know in the war when soldiers are captured by their enemies one of the most effective tactics is mind manipulation."

"What does that mean?"

"See a man can just push aside physical pain to the point where he can still function and basically give his captors the finger and that's it; even if they threaten death he'll be like I'll die a hero for my country so bring it on. The body after sustaining so much pain just starts to shut down if that's all he sustains. But if the mind is affected well…"

"I'm okay Danny, really."

"All I'm saying is he's just playing with your mind. One of those guys referred to you as a lawyer and me as a solider; this bastard did his homework. He wants to kill us, that is the end result; but if he gets one of us, he'll try to weaken our fighting spirit by playing with our mind, in this case yours. He's playing upon a fear all men have, especially if you can't fight back. They are just words and you can't let words hurt you. We will get out of here before they get us. For me it's Linda and the boys, for you…just don't dwell on it becuase that's what he wants."

"Thanks for the headup but I um...I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Okay," Danny frowns, proud of his brother for showing such courage and not wanting to give in at all. "You know I was very proud of you back there for that idea."

"Ha, almost got me killed," Jamie responds with a nervous tone.

"Yeah but it didn't so good job."

"Thanks," Jamie looks at Danny with a small frown. "Think we'll get out of here?"

"Hell yes we will. Trust me dad is working on a plan right now."

"Danny…"

"Yeah…"

"What is that?"

"Where?"

"There. Is it another trap?"

XXXXXXXX

"Okay so what did you find Marino?"

_"A flight plan of sorts. I see a memo here that Luca needed a special package to be delivered but there is no exact destination."_

"Any other names?"

_"Two. __Benito Arqueta and Damian Budin."_

"Those are the two guys that Danny has his altercation with when they were brining in Luca's son, Gino," Frank mentions as he looks up, instantly drawing a stare from Linda. "Anything more on where they might have taken them?"

_"__Well another email said that it was a special cargo delivery to Ad Rack Hunter. Ever heard of him."_

"No, but I want you to look up that name and get back to me. If he had Danny and Jamie I need to know and I need to know now."

_"I'm on it."_

"You have a name?" Henry asks in wonder.

"Company name, I think. Ad Rack Hunter."

"Huh? Who the hell is that?"

"No idea," Frank huffs as he rubs his face.

"Francis you should at least get a few minutes of rest."

"Like you?" Frank retorts to his father.

"Frank?"

"I don't know Linda, I'm sorry," Frank looks at her with a soft sigh. "Danny knows how to stay calm under these kind of situations and he'll keep Jamie safe."

"And who is going to keep him safe? We have to find them Francis and fast," Henry sighs.

Frank looks at the clock and feels his mouth go dry. His beloved sons were almost missing for about 24 hours and he had nothing solid to go on. _Come on Marino…you have to find them for me. I can't lose them…I just can't._

XXXXXXXX

Both Danny and Jamie stop in their tracks and look at the backpack before them; but no people around. Another trap? They exchange glances and both frown at the same time. They were tired and very hungry, not having anything for nearly a day and it the sun was already starting to tease them with setting early. In the mountains it would get darker because of all the shading and they knew they needed at least a flashlight.

"Should we chance it? Danny what if it's a trap?" Jamie asks with a heavy sigh.

"Then I'll be here to spring you from the boogey man."

"Yeah not funny," Jamie huffs.

"It probably is; unless the last dumb ass we encountered left it here by mistake but I doubt it. Just…okay you're hungry, I'm hungry and I need to patch my side. Grab it and lets get the hell out of here."

But as his stomach betrays him with a small rumble and his eyes turn back to fix themselves on the cantina he knows they have no choice. So with a small nod, Jamie turns and slowly heads toward the idle backpack, his eyes darting nervously around and his heart racing at top speed once again.

Danny readies himself just incase, keeping his back to Jamie; his eyes constantly scanning the around them. Jamie was weak when it came to fighting skills but his never give up attitude was something to be admired. He feels Jamie stop and immediately his own senses start to go into overdrive. "Come on kid, hurry," Danny quietly urges his brother.

Jamie's hands reach for the backpack and finally rest on them. But as bad luck would have it, the sky starts to darken and a boom of thunder is heard, forcing Jamie to jump, quickly clutch the bag and both head away from the area; not knowing that something special was also coming with them. And as much as Danny had wanted to leave it, they didn't want to weigh themselves down with all the items stuffed into small pockets; they'd just have to chance that they were now being tracked.

"We gotta find shelter and fast, we'll be freezing in no time," Danny just shakes his head. He looks at the darkening bump on Jamie's forehead and frowns further. "How's your head?"

"Pounding but that's to be expected right?" Jamie replies as he gratefully takes a few sips of water, allowing the much needed liquid to slowly slide down his parched throat, washing away the bloody residue he had swallowed earlier. Danny takes a few sips as well and then packs up the bag, leading them a bit further into the forest. But about ten minutes later, they both feel a few drops of water starting to pelt their exposed skin and know they are out of time.

"Damn it we are gonna be soaked very soon," Danny curses as the rain starts to intensify, covering their outer jackets with a fine dusting of water. Both of them now had jackets from their hunters but it wouldn't matter if they didn't seek shelter and fast. But where? The barren landscape before them only seemed to laugh at the helpless plight of the two city police officers; offering neither comforting shelter or a way to safety.

"Danny it's getting cold and dark," Jamie mentions as the rain starts to really beat down upon them.

"Just look around for something…anything we can ride this out in," Danny instructs over the drone of the rain. The thunder overhead booms once more and soon lighting would follow; they needed shelter and fast. Danny stops them from walking and spies a large tree with what looks like a hollow bottom. He pulls Jamie by the arm toward the tree, reaching the dark cavity just before the sky rips open from another crack of thunder.

"At least it's dry," Danny huffs as he leans against the back of the large tree and closes his eyes for a few seconds. "Put your hands…" Danny starts watching Jamie already pulling off the soaking jacket, leaving it on his back against the hollow of the tree while he rubs his chest and then shoves his hands under the arm pits of his thankfully dry sweater.

"Damn that we can't start a fire," Danny mumbles as he places the knapsack on the ground between his legs and starts to fish around inside. "Yes," he exclaims as he pulls out two granola bars and hands one to his brother. Both of them waste no time in tearing open the packages and then savoring the few mouthfuls of food; their empty stomachs welcoming the bits with open acidic arms.

"What else is in there?"

"No phone of course but a small first aid kit I can use," Danny groans as his fingers start to inspect the bag in the darkness. Jamie's eyes fix themselves outside as the rain pours down around them.

"There are more out there right?"

"I think until we are caught they will continue to multiply," Danny answers, watching Jamie's jaw tighten as he tries to swallow but is unable. "But don't worry we won't be caught."

"You can't let them take us Danny."

"I won't."

"Promise?" Jamie asks in a soft tone, his eyes still fixed on the world outside the large tree.

"I do," Danny's soft reply draws his brother's worried gaze to his. "I know this is all new for you but we will be fine. I came through worse."

"But your partner wasn't as inept at fighting as I am."

"You just need some practice," Danny smiles. "You got good instincts though. So why don't you just lean back and let your body rest a bit."

"I'm still afraid to close my eyes."

"Yeah I don't blame ya," Danny sighs as he rubs his face. They had a small stash of food, water, a flashlight, small first aid kit that he promptly used to crudely bandage his side, some rope, a lighter, a small handgun and the pocket knife. But nothing for them to use to contact the outside world to let them know that they were okay.

The rain continues to pour as darkness finally falls, blanketing the world around them in a thick cover of colorless haze.

"Think dad has found anything yet?"

"Well I doubt Luca would be stupid enough to file a flight plan so even if they did figure out that he used his private plane for…something they might not know where to look. I mean the flight here isn't that long, but if they don't know where to look then…"

"Then we might never be found?" Jamie asks weakly.

"Not a chance kid, we won't let that happen," Danny tries to assure him. "I just hope Linda has made up some kind of story to tell the boys…you know I hate when they have to worry about stuff like this."

"I'm sure she did. You are lucky you know, Linda's pretty great."

"Best part of my life," Danny agrees with a warm smile. "So what do you think grandpa will make for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Probably more burnt meatloaf," Jamie softly chuckles. "But I could go for a plate of that right now."

"That and an ice cold beer."

"Really could use that," Jamie agrees as he settles back into the crook of the tree. They were sheltered from the rain but not the wind and so he finds himself moving closer toward his brother for added warmth.

"You can move closer you know. I don't bite."

"No, I know. It's just that…"

"What? We both smell," Danny teases. "Trust me I ain't tellin' anyone about this and you ain't turnin' me on. So come here."

Jamie softly chuckles as he pulls the damp jacket off his back and moves closer to Danny who positions himself so that both were able to feed off each other's body heat; Danny thankful when his brother's frame stops trembling. "Just close your eyes and rest," Danny instructs his brother in a soft tone.

Jamie rests his head on Danny's shoulder, but his eyes once again refuse to close. "You know…I really hate being in trees."

"At least you aren't strung up in this one," Danny retorts, garnering a small snicker from his brother. _Come on dad…you hafta hurry._

XXXXXXXX

"Marino, what did you find?"

_"I think I know where they are?"_

"Where are they?"

_"Well it's almost a long shot but with some creative…"_

"Just tell me damn it," Frank growls. "Sorry. It's late and I'm worried."

_"With reason Sir and it's okay. I think they were taken to the Adirondacks. There is a small area for hunting."_

"Hunting?" Frank asks in dread, drawing a panicked from his father. "Do you have an exact location?"

_"No, but I might know where they could be…and I stress could be headed."_

Frank takes down the information and then hangs up, reaching for his gun.

"Francis where are they?"

"Pop it's late and…"

"Dad?" Erin queries.

"Marino thinks they were taken and dropped off in the Adirondacks…to be hunted."

"Oh god no," Linda gasps in horror. "Hunted?"

"Danny has taken survival training."

"But those are hash conditions," Erin frowns. "And I doubt they have guns."

"So that is why we have to hurry," Henry states firmly.

"Danny will keep both him and Jamie alive."

"Where do we look?" Henry interjects. "They could be anywhere in those damn mountains."

"Marino found a secret hunting lodge of Luca Rinaldi's up there and that's where I am headed."

"Not without me," Henry states firmly as he reaches for his own gun. "I know a thing or two about hunting myself."

XXXXXXXX

It was early Sunday morning when Jamie's weary eyes finally start to open. He slowly stretches his tired frame and then looks outside to see that the rain had let up; it was only lightly spitting now, not the torrential downpour. Jamie looks up to see Danny looking at him with a small grin.

"Toldya I'd be awake."

"Did you sleep at all?" Jamie asks with a small yawn as he pulls away and rubs his face.

"A bit. You?"

"Too many nightmares to feel rested."

"Well it's getting a bit light so we gotta move out. I um…gotta go, do you?"

"Yeah," Jamie answers as he slowly tries to stand up, wincing at his aching stomach and trying to get his head to stop pounding. "How is your side?"

"Stopped bleeding for now but needs some Linda lovin'," he smiles. "Okay I'll take the left side and you the right and make it fast; I'm sure they had others comin' this way. I'm still betting that bag was marked but we had to chance it right?"

"Marked? As we are being tracked?"

"Yeah...so hurry up."

Jamie nods at his brother as they both step out into the cold early morning air. He slowly heads around to the right side of the tree, surveying the area around them with anxious glances. He finishes his business and then fixes his glance on a small glint of silver a few feet away. Without telling Danny where he was going, he slowly makes his way toward the object, hoping it was perhaps a phone that had been dropped; something they could use to call for help or at least send a message of some kind.

Jamie stops and slowly bends to pick up the object, his eyes widening when he realizes that it is a phone. He presses the on button and then hears a soft crunch behind him. Thinking its Danny just catching up, Jamie waits for the phone to come to life and then breaths a small sigh of relief when it does.

"Danny I think we can call…" Jamie starts and then turns around only to come face to face with the last person he expected to see; the few bits of color draining from his face instantly. "Oh no…" Jamie states in horror as he offers a punch at the attacker before him; Danny already having to contend with an attacker of his own – Jamie was on his own for this one.

"Oh yes," the man they had thought they had taken down earlier smugly sneers before he uses the butt end of his gun to hit Jamie in the stomach before he can react. Jamie's already weakened frame doubles forward; his vain attempts to shield himself from another blow to his head fail, forcing him to his knees.

"Dan…" Jamie tries to call out only to sustain another hit to his tender ribs and sending him back to his knees.

"Big brother is busy," The man laughs. The large man pulls out a thick plastic zip tie and quickly binds his wrists tightly together behind his back; then stuffing a thick cloth into his mouth and tying the gag tightly behind his head.

"Time to go boy," the large man laughs as he merely picks up Jamie's struggling frame and drags him toward another waiting man.

_Danny_! Jamie's mind screams as he struggles in vain in the large man's grasp. Jamie's eyes widen as they near a camouflaged ATV and he's forced to sit in front of the large man, straddling the seat. The man's grip around his arm tightens and Jamie feel's the hard plastic cutting into his bound wrists as he tries to pull himself free – but to no avail. He was caught. The ATV starts up and the man's arm wraps around his stomach, pinning his arms to his back and ensuring that he wasn't going anywhere.

"I think you'll like your final destination. I know I will."

_Danny! Help me!_

Danny offers an angry grunt, taking one large gasp of air just as he sends his own attacker to the ground for good. He hears the ATV start up and curses himself in anger. He had heard the men approaching but was unable to warn Jamie before it was too late and then had his own attacker to contend with – leaving his brother vulnerable. The ATV must have been there the whole time waiting; they missed their chance at escape and now his brother might have to pay the ultimate price. Now all he could do was race after the ATV and pray he got there in time. _Hold on Jamie – I'm coming. _

But would he be in time?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Okay sorry for the little cliffe hehe but will Danny get Jamie in time? Will Frank and Henry get there befoer Danny walks into a trap? Or are both brothers doomed? A bit more to go so please review and stay tuned and thanks again! Your encouraging feedback is making me write my new story that much faster :D


	5. A Lesson in Fear

**Title: ****Retribution  
><strong>**Chapter 5 – ****A Lesson in Fear **

* * *

><p>Jamie squeezes his eyes shut and tries to drown out the vile taunts coming from the man keeping him firmly pinned. His face starts to melt from the hot breath by his ear and his heart was now painfully thudding against his tender rib cage.<p>

_'Remember Jamie they are just words to make you scared and wear you down…' _Jamie's mind tries to think on Danny's words, telling himself his captor is just toying with his mind. But inside the pit of his stomach, a small shred of doubt was also taking root, telling the youngest Reagan there was a chance that his brother wouldn't get to him in time.

"I know I gotta kill you but I was told I could take my time if I wanted," the man laughs into Jamie's ear, relishing in the fear his young captive was displaying in his grasp. "And I am gonna take my time. You ready for that? Huh?"

The drive with the ATV seemed to take forever to Jamie and all he could do was sit helplessly in his captor's grasp; his eyes darting nervously around for any means of escape. His mind now wonders where was Danny? His captor said Danny was busy; did he win the fight? He had to, Danny was a damn good fighter and wouldn't give up. Danny had praised him for his good instincts and now as he sits tied up and helpless, he curses himself for being so unobservant and getting himself caught.

Would he now be used as bait to trap his brother? Would he be forced to watch his brother die because of his lack of survival training? Jamie mentally berates himself as he now ponders the fact that he could very well be responsible for the death of his brother and then himself.

"I think you'll like where we are going little Reagan," the man's tormenting voice comes to life in his ear once more. "It's nice and warm."

Jamie feels his stomach starting to tighten a bit more.

"Yeah I think I'll strip out of those wet clothes and let you warm up the old fashioned way," he laughs forcing Jamie's stomach to automatically send bile up his throat, his lungs wanting to throw up instantly. However, the thick cloth between his teeth prevents him from performing the action vomiting motions and so has to swallow it back down, cringing as the acid burns his lungs.

_This can't be happening, _his mind frantically yells over and over again.

"Get you nice and warm and then have some fun. You want that?"

_These are just words…just words!_His mind yells as he tries to prevent his eyes from watering. The last thing he wanted was to show he was scared to the man holding him captive. But as he feels his body shiver, he knows he's already betrayed his fear. He again tries to recall Danny's words about these only be verbal taunts and the actual physical actions probably wouldn't happen but as he feels the man's grasp around his waist tighten, his fear pushes aside Danny's advice and takes over; telling him that if he wasn't recued he would have to endure his ugly future.

_Danny you have to help me!_

XXXXXXXX

Danny's lungs continue to heave oxygen as he runs after his captive brother, his mind constantly commanding his body to keep going; not to give into fatigue and not to give up from the pain. His hand closes tighter over his side; the throbbing wound begging for some medical attention but his mind shouting that giving in wasn't an option.

_A special treat for your brother…_

Danny's face winces at the thought that he would arrive too late and Jamie would be forced to endure a horrible humiliation before he was offered as helpless bait. Maybe they were just words and maybe they weren't; either way he couldn't take that chance – not with Jamie. He had given him his word and intends to keep it.

_'Danny promise me you won't let __that happen to me.'_

_'They are just words Jamie. Words can't hurt you.'_

_'Okay but if they aren't words…please just promise it won't happen. That you won't let it happen.'_

_'I promise.'_

He feels his body shudder at the thought that not only had he failed his brother and himself but that he had failed their father as he knows their father would expect him to look out for his younger brother especially in a situation like this. His side starts to throb from the constant pounding from his running but he fights through the pulsing throbs and carries on. The weather wasn't cooperating and the jacket he was wearing was heavy with rain. But it was keeping his sweater dry and his chest needs the heat; he would just have to double his running efforts.

Thankfully the ATV's were making noise but that also meant that he knows his captors had expected him to hear and then come after his brother so he had to be doubly careful when he approaches wherever the machines would stop. He tries not to picture Jamie's scared expression or his words when he first looked at the man making the evil taunt; the man they thought they had put down for good.

"Damn bastard had a vest on," Danny growls to himself as he continues on. When he said he'd happily kill him to take Jamie, Danny had felt his whole body shudder and doesn't even want to think about what Jamie might have to face at the mercy of the two men hired by their father's new chief nemesis.

Danny stops for a few seconds, trying to catch his breath and wondering when the damn machines ahead of him would stop. With a few more fresh gulps of air, he's back on the trail once more; chasing after his brother and constantly praying he'll get some kind of helping hand in their safe escape.

XXXXXXXX

Jamie's eyes watch the landscape before them change, the bush getting less dense and then squints into the distance and sees what looks like a cabin with smoke coming from inside. Fear and panic instantly seize hold of him once more as the ATV starts to slow, his mind now racing at top speed with terror. The ATV comes to a stop and Jamie watches the lone rider dismount and come toward him with a mean expression.

"Remember we wait until the boss gives us the go ahead," he snarls as he yanks Jamie free, not caring when he stumbled and slipped to he knees.

"I know…"

"He stays as is until then," the first man warns the second; the one they had unsuccessfully tried to take down hours earlier.

"Yeah I got it," he snaps back as he gets off and looms over Jamie who refuses to look up; not wanting his blue eyes to betray himself anymore than he already has.

"Let's go boy," his twisted captor growls as he grabs Jamie by the arm and starts to pull him toward the waiting house. Jamie tries to dig his feet into the ground, pulling with whatever energy he can muster; trying anything to keep himself from being taken inside. However, it was a losing battle as his tender ribs sustain a blow, not even a hard one and the cabin was his next destination.

As soon as the door opens, Jamie's weary frame is quickly assaulted on every side by warmth; his nerves involuntarily settling a little but his mind still on high panicked alert.

"You stow him someplace safe and keep him there until I can finish setting the trap for big brother."

"Oh I have a nice safe place," the man chuckles as he drags Jamie toward the back of the warm cabin. He lets Jamie go and pushes him slightly, laughing when Jamie's knees buckle and he stumbles toward a nearby chair. The large man bodily hauls him into the chair, giving him the order to stay put while he tended to something.

Jamie quickly looks around, not caring about the biting plastic that was keeping his wrists tightly restrained behind his back; just wanting to find anything he could use to try to gnaw away at the plastic keeping him captive. His eyes rest on a small knife and he quickly looks away, not wanting to show his captives that he might have found something he can use when they weren't looking. But he would even be able to get that? Would they leave him alone long enough for him to take that chance?

Jamie watches the first man, the one with the sick ideas in mind for him turn to him and smile; forcing his stomach to lurch and his eyes to look away.

"Nothin' to be scared of boy," the large man storms up to him. "But plenty to be frightened of," he laughs and Jamie just offers a small garbled curse.

"But we can't play until later so you are going to have to be a good boy and wait until I'm ready. Can you do that for me?"

Jamie looks up at him with a narrow, hatred-filled gaze, not wanting to back down to that terrifying threat. The man just laughs and smiles before he heads back to his friend while they discuss in a low tone the trap they will use him as bait for his brother. _They are just words…words can't hurt you!_

Jamie continues to look around, his eyes finally settling on a small back door that was partially open. With their backs to him, he slowly stands up and then dashes for the open door; not caring that his wrists were still bound; the only thought in his mind was that of escape.

"Damn it boy!" The large man's voice booms as he races after his escaping captive. He grabs Jamie by the collar of his jacket and yanks him back, causing Jamie to lose his footing and crash to the floor on his butt. "I will make you really pay for that later."

Jamie's lips offer an angry grunt as the man's fist connects with his side. The man then pulls upright and looks at him with an evil glare.

"Pretty soon we are going to get very well acquainted," he winks before he drags Jamie toward a small backroom with no windows and shoves him inside. "Stay put or I'll really immobilize you and trust me I would enjoy it."

Jamie manages to remain on his feet and just glares back in anger, watching as the large man then pulls the door shut, sealing him inside the small dimly lit room. Jamie immediately starts to scan the space around him, once again looking for anything that he can even use as a small weapon if needed – there was nothing – he was stuck.

He leans against the wall and closes his eyes for a few seconds, willing for his mind to be able to clear away his fear – but it wasn't working, he was scared beyond belief. Would Danny actually be able to help him? He wasn't sure but he knows he has to do something…anything to warn his brother of his dire predicament. But how?

XXXXXXXX

Danny nears the edge of the forest where it changes its own natural configuration and finally stops, taking a few more deep breaths and hoping that by the time he leaned fully upright his heart rate would be back to normal. It works – for the most part. He stands up and then looks at the area before him, there was smoke in the sky above a clear patch indicating a cabin was waiting with his brother inside.

But how to approach without actually being seen and pulled into the trap, therefore becoming a liability to them both? He'd have to go around and come up from behind the cabin, hopefully drawing away at least one of the men into a trap of his own.

The land around him was now his immediate enemy; the Rinaldi thugs could have planted anything that might trip a sensor and alert his hunters to his presence, hence putting himself and his brother in even greater danger. He takes one careful step followed by another, determined to continue on his present course.

Always keeping the cabin to his left, Danny starts to head in a wide circle, always pushing aside his brother's look of fear; something he knows both trained killers would prey upon and take complete advantage of. When he joined the army he had read case file upon case file about fear tactics enemies would use against captured soldiers; knowing that the greatest fear was mostly in the mind and that if the mind was battered enough, it wouldn't matter afterward what they did to the body – the solider was already defeated; there would be no fight left in him to resist the oncoming physical abuse. The worst cases were those that didn't even require physical abuse; the mind was already so scared nothing physical was needed. But Jamie was also part of the same man that he was a part of; there was no way a son of Frank Reagan's would just lay down and wait for defeat to overtake them – it just wasn't in their blood.

His hands rests on his throbbing side, pressing down on the blood stained sweater as he continues on into the thick of the forest once again. After what he feels is a wide enough berth, Danny starts to head toward the back of the cabin.

His mind quickly drifts to Linda and the boys; they were his main reason for living, their love and devotion to him always at the forefront of his mind and keeping him fighting that extra minute; always reminding him that he has so much to come back to. Danny gives the space around him a firm nod as he heads a few more meters toward the cabin and then stops.

Danny finally spies the back of the cabin and starts to scan the area on either side. But before he can take another step, a shotgun blast is heard and his lips stifle a surprised gasp.

"HEY SOLIDER BOY!" A loud shout is heard, the Rinaldi thug's voice now amplified with some kind of help. "I got something you want. How badly do you want him?"

"Bad enough to tear you limb from limb you asshole," Danny curses as he slowly heads toward the back of the cabin, his mind now controlling his breathing so that his ears were sharp to listen. However, he knows the biggest dangers that most field soldier's face came from below, not in front or overhead; from a mine or trip wire that was just waiting for him to spring; mercilessly laughing at his untimely demise.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" The man shouts again; his angry tone sending a few chills down Danny's spine.

"Oh don't worry you'll see me soon enough, me and my fist," Danny grumbles under his breath as he takes another carefully calculated step toward his brother.

"How long to you think little brother can wait?" He laughs; an evil mocking tone that Danny was sure made even the nearby trees shudder.

"You better show yourself or the next sounds you hear will be his screams!"

"Damn it," Danny curses once more as he takes another few steps.

Jamie in the meantime could only listen to the words that were being offered; his overheated frame jerking with every small bead of sweat that escaped from his neck and slowly slides down his already tingling spine. He hears angry footsteps heading in his direction and frantically looks around the bleak room for anything he can use to his advantage. There was nothing.

"Playtime boy," the large man looks at him with an evil grin.

Jamie shakes his head no as the man nears and then without really thinking about it, sends his knee up, catching the thug in the groin. He tries to dodge past but large man grabs his bound wrists and pulls him back.

NO! Jamie shouts uselessly; the gag in his mouth hindering his attempts at calling out, soaking up all the saliva and forcing him to cough from the dry spells that he was now left with. The large man wraps his arm around Jamie's neck and pulls him into the main room once again where the other thug was still on the front steps with the megaphone.

The thug holding Jamie with one large arm grabs the megaphone from his partner; totally ignoring Jamie still thrashing around in his grasp.

"HEY REAGAN!"

Danny stops in his tracks as another voice is heard.

"I got your brother in my grasp. Too bad he can't stop me! Too bad you can't either!"

Danny's fists form into tight balls at his sides but he knows that while his delaying might cause Jamie to panic more he reasons that Rinaldi would want them both together when they were finally taken down; his tardiness would buy Jamie a few more minutes. He would just have to make it up to his little brother somehow. _Hold on kid I'm coming._

"Well looks like big brother don't care about you after all," the thug holding Jamie looks down and laughs. "Maybe I'll just help myself right here on this platform."

He gets a warning glance from the other thug but figures he can mess with the young man's mind for as long as he wanted.

"Think you'd like that? Out here in the fresh air? All the…ah damn it!" He growls when the heel of Jamie's foot lands on the top of his and causes his grasp around Jamie's neck to loosen. The other thug just laughs as he yanks the megaphone away from his partner.

"Show yourself Detective! I'm losing my damn patience!"

"Choke on it you bastard," Danny huffs as he nears the back of the cabin; his heart racing as he stops and just watches Jamie struggling in the grasp of the large man. He hates the fact that he had to watch his brother so helpless and being treated so poorly but he had to stick to his plan; it meant both their lives. He would take them down, grab his brother and just get on the ATV and drive – that was the initial plan. Would it actually work?

"Take him back inside, I'll wait out here."

Jamie's eyes try to scan for Danny but he also knows that if his brother has a plan and is actually able to get the upper hand then he wasn't going to show himself until the right moment; he'd just have to endure a few more ugly words until that time. _They are just words…words can't hurt you…_his mind reminds him over and over again. The large man pulls Jamie back into the small room and pushes him up against the wall, a thick hand wrapping around his throat as he glares at his helpless captive.

"You think by your brother stalling that you can delay the inevitable? Your slow…painful death?" He leans in closer, his free hand dropping to the button on Jamie's jeans. He pulls it open and Jamie's heart nearly explodes with an entire shockwave of fear. "I intend to do whatever the hell I want, for as long as I want before you meet your end. So think on that rookie!" He grins as he pulls back, leaving Jamie's jeans button undone.

Jamie feels a think lump form in his throat as he watches the man leave; his body instantly sagging to his knees when the door is slammed shut; his eyes instantly watering.

_Oh god no…please no…_ he begs over and over his lungs heaving, his mind trying to keep back terrified sobs that soon he'd meet a terrifying end. Still on his knees he lifts his head, instantly being struck with waves of dizziness from the terror, warmth and lack of food. He once again feels bile coming up into his mouth as he feels the mans hot breath on his face, his hands near his groin and swallows hard, his head shaking no at the thought of that future.

_Hurry Danny…please hurry._

Danny nears the backdoor and then stops, hearing heavy footsteps in the front. He quickly ducks under a small ledge as the footsteps start to descend and then stop.

"Where the hell do you think you're goin'?"

"I'm going to find that wily bastard. I grow tired of this damn game. I wanna get back to watch the rest of the playoffs."

"Can I kill the rookie now?"

"Give me a few minutes and then he's all yours."

Danny seizes instantly; Jamie was out of time and he had to hurry. He holds his breath as the footsteps start to be heard again; thankful that this time they are heading away from him. The sound of footsteps is replaced by whistling and he just cringes at their casual attitude about what they were about to do. He readies the small gun in his palm and very carefully leaves the hiding alcove, taking once carefully placed footstep after the other toward the back stairs, his heart rate starting to gain angry momentum.

One step; then another; another; and then finally at the top where he stops and waits. He eyes the open door and rests his fingers upon it; he wouldn't have much time – he would have to act fast. The door slowly starts to push open, time seeming to take forever until it was open enough for him to squeeze himself through; his jacket having been already left behind under the stairs.

Danny's head pokes around the corner, his eyes quickly surveying the area before him, allowing him to get a lay of the territory he was about to enter. He hears shuffling to his left and eyes the closed door – Jamie! At least he was safe and out of the way. He hears the thug near the front of the cabin and slowly starts to make his way toward him.

"Ah screw this, I want to kill that boy now!" The thug grumbles as he turns to see Danny watching him with his gun raised.

"I told you before, you can't have my brother you sick bastard!" Danny's voice hisses; forcing Jamie to look up from the room he was locked in and actually breathe a small sigh of relief. That is until panicked seized him that Danny might lose and their ugly fate would be realized.

The thug just grins at Danny before he does the unthinkable – he charges. Danny fires off a shot but it only hits the man in the upper arm, grazing his skin and forcing him to surge with a new bout of anger. He slams into Danny, forcing both of them to sail through the air and land on the floor in a jumble of arms and legs.

Jamie hears the commotion and heads for the door, turning so that his bound wrists were able to get the handle and thankful that he was able to pull it open. He might not have fighting use of his hands, but he had to help Danny get the upper hand on his captor before the other returned to finish them off for good.

Danny punches the thug in his arm wound, making him cry out in pain but it's Danny's turn next when the thugs fist lands in Danny's wound, forcing the thin scab to break and blood to seep forth once more. Jamie kicks at the man's head, snapping it to the right before his hand lashes out, grabs the leg of his jean and yanks, making Jamie stumble backwards into the room.

"I'm glad you're anxious to die boy," he laughs as he punches Danny once more.

But refusing to give up or give in, Danny's leg kicks at his attackers at the same time as he punches him in his wounded arm, allowing Danny to finally roll free, his eyes searching for the gun he had dropped only moments earlier.

Jamie eyes the gun and tries to push himself back up to get it, watching in horror as Danny is pounced on from behind and sent back to the floor. Jamie gets himself back upright and heads for the gun, wanting to kick it to Danny so that his brother could finish the fight as the winner.

Danny sends an angry elbow into the jaw of the thug, pushing his face backward. He quickly follows that up with another punch from his fist and pulls himself free. His boot comes up and connects with the man's neck, the area that he had been cut before, making him scream out in pain as his hand automatically comes to cover the freshly uncovered wound.

Thanks to the thick gag keeping him quiet, Jamie was unable to verbally tell Danny where the gun was as his foot finally rests on it.

"Jamie!" Danny looks up just as his brother locates their only weapon. He reaches out his hand but just as Jamie kicks it toward him, the thug's hands land on Danny's shoulders and pull him back, Danny's hand missing the gun and allowing the thug to reach for it instead.

NO! Jamie shouts as he tries to rush the man, thinking he'd buy some time by giving the man something else to wrestle with. But the thug just laughs as he gets to his feet and points the gun at Danny who stands up, once again placing himself between the thug and his captive brother.

"As I said before…" the thug snarls with an angry tone. "I have no problem killing you to get to him."

The three of them hear heavy footsteps coming up the front steps to the cabin and the thug automatically smiles. "But maybe I'll just make you watch and then kill you. Here comes my partner."

"You'll never…win," Danny growls.

"Any last words Reagan before I take your brother?" The thug demands with a twisted sneer.

"Time to die you sick bastard," comes the equally angry voice of Frank Reagan, making the thug turn around only to be shot in the head by the Police Commissioner.

"Dad…" Danny gasps. "Thank god."

"You two okay?" Frank asks as he looks around, as he rushes toward his two beloved sons. "Anyone else out there yet?"

"Just me," the voice of the second thug is heard, forcing all three of them to turn in place. "Well well well, I got the mother load. I think I'll get an even bigger bonus for this takedown. Drop the gun Commissioner or I drop one of your boys before I drop you."

"It's over," Frank stands his ground.

"Maybe for you three. Now I said drop it!"

"No," Frank remains firm. "I think it's time you drop your weapon and surrender."

The thug holding the large shotgun looks at them and snickers. "Yea? And if I don't want to? Who's going to make me? You?"

"No, but I gladly will," Henry's voice is heard. The thug pumps the shotgun as he turns to fire, instead it's his body that absorbs both Henry's and Frank's shots before he falls to the ground and the room is immediately engulfed in a few seconds of silence. It was over and they were safe – at least for now.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Okay you can all take a deep breath now! haha sorry about that but you know how I love my Jamie in peril and lots of action. And of course the good guys always win. Another chapter to go before this wraps and a new story will begin. So please review and let Alice know what you thought of this and thanks so much in advance!


	6. A New Understanding

**Title: ****Retribution  
><strong>**Chapter 6 – A New Understanding**

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><p>"Danny anyone else?" Henry asks as he waits by the door with his shotgun in hand.<p>

"Those were the last two left I think," Danny answers as he gently tugs the gag from Jamie's mouth and then pulls out the small knife.

"You okay?" Danny asks softly; Frank watching the affectionate brotherly interchange. He always knew that Danny worried about his youngest brother but to see him acting almost fatherly toward him right now settled his mind and heart in ways he never thought he would experience.

"Yeah…fine," Jamie sighs as he looks down.

Danny drops his eyes to Jamie's open jeans button and then looks back up; noticing the instant look of shame in his brother's eyes. "Hold on I'll have ya free in a second," Danny turns Jamie around so that their father wouldn't see and fear the worst.

Jamie feels his wrists starting to get some slack as Danny continues to cut him free of the hard plastic restraints. "Thank you," Jamie whispers as he quickly does up the button on his jeans and then turns and gives his brother a hug before heading for his father.

"I was worried sick," Frank whispers as he pulls his youngest into his strong embrace and holds him close. He looks up at Danny and gives him a thankful smile.

"Dad, I gotta say you got good timing," Danny smirks as he wipes some sweat off his forehead and also gives his father a brief hug. It was different for Jamie; he hadn't experienced terror like this and so he couldn't fault his youngest sibling for wanting a bit of extra comfort from their father. The three of them slowly head for the door, Jamie glancing back and then catching his brother's eye before he turns and looks ahead. Danny didn't have to ask what Jamie was pondering, he already knew; it was his fate if they weren't rescued at the moment they had been; what he might have had to endure. As it was, he knows they'll both have a few nightmares from this for some time to come.

"You have proof that Rinaldi did this?" Danny asks as they all come to stop on the platform of the cabin.

"How did you get here?" Jamie asks.

"We walked," Henry groans.

"There is a chopper waiting a few miles up."

"Miles?" Jamie groans.

"Hey this time we got transport," Danny nods toward the working ATV's.

"Good," Henry states as he looks at Frank. "Your hunch paid off."

"How did you find us?"

"I called in a favor," Frank answers. "But to answer your first question, we don't have firm proof that this was the work of Luca Rinaldi. He made a call and I made a good guess but we have nothing in writing to use as evidence."

"Are you serious? He drugs us, kidnaps us, drops us from a plane and we nearly die and he just walks away?" Jamie asks in disbelief.

"For now," Frank answers with a small frown. "But when I get back I'll be putting him under a tighter microscope," Frank states firmly as he pulls his phone and dials a familiar number.

"Who the hell is he callin' out here?" Danny looks at Henry who merely shrugs.

_"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call Commissioner?" The surprised voice of Luca Rinaldi is heard._

"Nice cabin you have here Luca," Frank answers, his own face displaying a small smile when he hears Luca's nearly inaudible curse. "But you really should be more careful who you loan it out to. Seems they made a real mess. Now if you'll excuse me; my sons and I have to get back for Sunday dinner. Have a good night."

_"I'll get e…"_

Frank hangs up, his ears picking up Luca cursing his name before there was once again silence.

"Way to go Francis," Henry grins. "Now who's gonna drive these damn things?"

"I'll take one," Danny volunteers and then looks over a Jamie who was just looking back with a blank stare. "Jamie, you wanna take the other?"

Jamie looks at Danny and starts to shake his head no; not sure his nerves would survive the trip back after all they had just endured.

"Come on, it's easy," Danny tosses him the keys.

"I'll ride with Jamie," Frank volunteers.

"Okay," Jamie answers numbly as he feels the keys suddenly get heavy in his palm. Frank looks down and notices Jamie's hands slightly trembling and then gently grasps the keys, their skin connecting and Jamie's feeling instant warmth and comfort.

"I'll drive back, you can ride with me," Frank tells his youngest in a kind tone. Jamie nods as he turns and heads for the stairs, Frank grabbing Danny's arm and holding him back. "What the hell happened in there?"

"When Jamie was captured and taken with them…they um…well one of them threatened to…you know…"

"What?"

"Dad when I found him, the button to his jeans was open and his zipper an inch down."

"Oh god no," Frank groans as he feels his system instantly lurch. "Do you think…"

"I doubt there was time but I don't know for sure, you'll have to ask Jamie. He didn't tell me," Danny huffs. "I'm sorry."

"You are both alive, that's all that matters now I'll talk to him; let's go home."

"How are Linda and the boys?"

"Linda said you two were working an undercover case," Frank tells them as they near the ATV's.

"That's my girl," Danny smiles. "The got the jump on us outside the bar."

"I know, but it's over now," Frank tells them as he looks at Jamie's placid expression. "Time to leave."

Danny and Henry climb onto the first ATV and it starts up; Frank and Jamie hanging behind.

"Jamie you okay?"

"Yeah just um…you know hungry and tired and…sore."

"When you were with them," Frank starts and then stops, wondering if he could actually bring himself to discuss what might have happened to his beloved youngest son. "Danny said that one of them made threats that…"

"There wasn't time," Jamie answers in truth. "He said that he would um…but there wasn't time…there wasn't time."

Frank pulls Jamie into his grasp and allows his son to have some added privacy as he gently sobbed into his father's loving embrace. After a few moments, Jamie pulls himself together and then looks at his father with a weary expression.

"I want to go home."

Both of them finally climb onto the ATV and head after Danny and Henry, reaching the waiting chopper not too much longer after the first one. The four of them eagerly climb into the belly of waiting machine, Danny and Jamie both getting fresh blankets to use for the trip home.

"Come here kid," Danny entreats with affection.

Frank watches Jamie curl under Danny's arm but the worried look from his face doesn't leave. What else happened out there? He was sure that Danny would tell him all the sordid details but would Jamie? Thankful for the warmth from the blanket and his brother's protective arm, Jamie finally allows himself to close his eyes, his mind and heart grateful for the timing of their father and saving him from a fate worse than death. As his mind ponders what might have happened, he feels his eyes water and quickly swallows, a small sniffle instantly drawing his father's tender gaze.

"Cold," Jamie mentions with a quiet tone.

"Jamie was quite the outdoorsman these past few days," Danny mentions with pride, making Jamie's lips curl slightly upward. He had told himself that he must have let Danny down when he was captured so to hear his brothers reassurance makes his anxiety ease somewhat.

"What happened to the other guys?" Henry queries.

"One of them is still out there," Danny answers with a heavy sigh. "And the other we took down before you two finished of the last two."

"The nerve of that smug bastard," Henry huffs as he looks over at his son.

"Well it's over now and he knows he lost," Frank shrugs.

Henry just shakes his head but by the time he and Frank look back at their boys, both of them are asleep; Jamie under Danny's arm and Danny's head resting on top of Jamie's.

"They look like best friends right now," Henry mentions.

"I think after this they will be pop," Frank smiles as he leans back and just watches his two precious sons. _Thank you Danny._

XXXXXXXX

The helicopter had touched down at the hospital and both Reagan boys were sent to the ER, to be treated for mild hypothermia, dehydration, a bit of malnourishment and of course various scrapes and bruises; Danny getting his side properly stitched and both getting x-rays just to be sure. Then it was time to go home – each to their own and then heading back to Frank's for their usual Sunday dinner.

"Danny?" Linda rushes to the door when she hears it slowly opening. She takes in the slight of her beloved husband and can't stop the tears from instantly forming. "Danny it is you!"

"Babe I'm home," Danny sighs as he gathers his wife into his arms and holds her close, closing his eyes and just relishing in the feeling of her body in his grasp. "I'm so sorry."

"No…" she shakes her head as she pulls back and looks at him with a teary smile. "It wasn't your fault."

"I love you so much," he utters in truth before his lips crush her in a searing kiss. He pulls her close once more, not wanting to let go. "You still want to have dinner tonight?"

"As a family? Of course I do," she answers in truth. "But not before you have a shower."

"Alone?" He arches his brows in eager anticipation.

Linda's eyes drop to the blood and dirt covered part of his sweater and then her eyes raise back up to his. "What happened?"

"Just a scratch. Trust me I'll be fine."

"What about your brother?"

"He's not invited," Danny retorts, forcing an eye roll from his wife. "He's fine. He was hurt and scared but he'll pull through and be stronger for it. I'll tell you all the details later, but first…" Danny states as he lifts his wife into his arms and heads for the stairs.

"Danny…" Linda starts before he leans in and his wife happily accepts his lips, hungrily devouring them as they head toward their master bathroom, locking the door; their boys at their grandfather's house awaiting their arrival later.

XXXXXXXX

"Dad!" Both boys shout at once as Danny and Linda enter Frank's house an hour before dinner. Danny opens his arms and gathers both sons into his grasp, planting a kiss on top of their heads and giving them each an extra squeeze.

"Mom said you and uncle Jamie were on an undercover assignment?" Sean asks eagerly.

"That's right. It's top secret," Danny winks.

"But you always said that uncle Jamie was too small to go on that kind of stuff," Sean frowns as Jamie walks into the room.

Danny chuckles as he looks at his brother's expression. "I _said young. _It had to do with inexperience at the time I said that."

"So he has experience now?"

"I'm right here," Jamie teases Sean, making his young nephew turn around and look up at him with expectation. "Well it was a um…learning experience."

"Did you guys kick ass?" Nikki inquires.

"Nikki your language in front of the boys," Erin groans.

"Dad kicks ass all the time he says," Jack retorts, drawing a pursed lip glance from Linda.

"Okay no more ass talk around the adults, we might get tainted," Danny smiles. "But yeah Jamie and I came out on top."

"Awesome!" Jack high fives his uncle.

"That is so cool. I wanna go on undercover stuff," Nikki pouts.

"How about helping me set the table instead?" Henry breaks up the idle chatter.

"We'll all help," Erin looks at her daughter who just shakes her head and heads into the kitchen; iPod still attached to her ears and hip. "I swear it's like talking to a stone wall at times."

"Every parent's plight," Frank looks at his daughter with a smile.

Danny looks up to see Jamie watching him with a placid look and slowly heads over to him. "You okay?"

"Yeah…can you help me with something?"

"Sure kid, what's up?"

XXXXXXXX

"So how are they?" Linda asks Frank just before dinner was to start.

"I think they'll both be fine. A real first time survival experience for Jamie but with Danny's help he made it and probably learned more from his brother and being in that kind of situation than reading about it or even taking one of those weekend survival courses," Frank answers. "I'm just glad they are home safe and sound."

"Will there be anything else we have to worry about?" Linda inquires, her gaze shifting from Frank to Erin.

"Not if Rinaldi's smart. We were able to get a few more pieces of evidence that would suggest that Luca Rinaldi was responsible for their kidnapping but we'll only pull it out if he gives us more immediate trouble."

"Immediate?" Linda arches her brows.

"Well he is a mob boss and I doubt he'll give up that overnight. But any direct family threats will be cause for an official inquiry; death of his son or not," Erin explains. "And I doubt he wants us watching his business dealings any closer than we already do."

"Let's hope this was the last," Frank states heavily. "Okay all set for dinner?"

"Sean where is your father?"

"He's fighting Jamie."

"What?" Linda and Erin exchange glances and then look at Frank.

"And great grampa is reffing."

"Oh no," Erin sighs.

"What is this about?" Frank asks firmly.

"Dad said uncle Jamie fights like a girl so he's showing him some moves."

"Ah. Well in that case I'll get them."

"Hey I hit pretty good for a girl," Nikki protests.

"You heard us through that noise?" Erin retorts, garnering a small smirk from her daughter.

Frank slowly heads down to the basement where he hears some soft grunts and his father's voice. He stops and watches the scene before him, Danny and Henry were giving Jamie some basic street fight moves; all in good fun of course. Danny grabs Jamie in a head lock and starts to ruffle his dirty blond hair, Jamie of course laughing at his brother's antics.

Frank's mind drifts back to the moment in the cabin when he found the man that was about kill both his beloved sons. The scared look on Jamie's face when he was finally rescued and then of course Danny's confession about what he had to endure. But Jamie had so far shown at least outward physical resilience and wasn't looking like he would allow those men's taunts to make him hide away; if anything him wanting Danny to help him fight better was a good indication that he wasn't about to let anyone dictate his actions – he was a Reagan after all, a son his father could be proud of.

"Alright boys, supper time," Frank makes himself known and the play fighting instantly stops. "Should I ask whose idea this was?"

Both Danny and Jamie point to Henry drawing a small chuckle from the eldest Reagan.

"Thought so pop."

"Funny," Henry deadpans as they all slowly climb the stairs out of the basement and then finally reconvene around the Reagan family dinner table.

"I know we have a lot to be thankful at this meal," Frank mentions softly under his breath, drawing a very understanding nod from Linda, Erin and Henry. After their usual prayer of thanks, dinner starts, light banter about the week ahead and the kids stuff in school, replaced any talk about what Danny and Jamie had to endure. But as the brothers would exchange small glances throughout the night, both of them knew that their harrowing weekend from hell wouldn't be forgotten anytime soon; but that also a stronger bond was forged in those unforgiving woods a few hours away.

"See you tomorrow," Danny gives his brother's arm a small squeeze and then nods to his father before wrapping his arm around his wife and following their two boys out the door to their waiting van.

"You want to stay here tonight?"

"No I have a few things I have to do before I call it a night."

"Good night son," Frank holds his youngest close and offers him a warm smile.

"Night dad."

"Think they'll be okay?" Henry asks as he comes up behind Frank and they watch first Erin and Nikki leave, then Danny's van and finally Jamie's car.

"Yeah," Frank answers as he turns around with a smile. "I think we'll be just fine."

"And Rinaldi?"

"Oh I'll worry about him tomorrow," Frank sighs as he slowly closes the door.

Jamie lets himself into his quiet apartment and just stares at his jacket on the table; the one he had worn home from the hospital. _'Something special for you rookie Reagan…' _Jamie hears one his captor's voices in his head. He feels his stomach tighten as he remains fixed in place. But a few seconds later, his brain's message to not let fear dictate his actions and keep him hostage was finally heard and he heads for the table, taking the jacket into the kitchen and shoving it into the garbage. It wasn't needed for evidence as they had already sent in another team of men to round up Rinaldi's men and would have those still alive in custody and those now dead were in the morgue with their criminal records now closed.

Having already had a shower earlier, Jamie just changes for bed and gets under the covers, turning off the lights but laying awake and looking out the window; the city offering its own natural version of a night light. He had told his brother and his father that he would be okay, but as soon as Jamie closes his eyes, his brain replays when he was cornered in the cabin and his vile captor's hand were on him.

_Special treat for you…_

"Ah!" Jamie huffs as his eyes snap open. With a small curse Jamie rolls onto his stomach and tries to force his mind to think on something other than the past few days; nothing works. He slowly reaches toward his bedside light and turns it on, remembering something his grandfather told him after his first shift on his rookie beat. He hooks up his iPod to the small speaker stand and searches for his grandfather's playlist, pressing play and then turning off the light.

The quiet room starts to fill with soothing melodies and soon Jamie was able to get himself to sleep for a few solid hours; awaking the next morning not as rested as he would have wanted. The next few weeks would hold pretty much the same, but Jamie was more than determined to not let Luca Rinaldi win, no matter what.

XXXXXXXX

"Morning Sarge," Jamie greets his partner the following Monday for their shift.

"Mornin' rookie," Renzulli looks at the faint bruise on Jamie's face and the slight dark circles under his eyes. "Whoa! Rough weekend? You lookin' tired."

"Ah just me and Danny outdoors for a bit," Jamie answers with a wry smile.

"Ha! Sounds like you had it easy," Renzulli's voice trails off. "Let me tell you what the wife had me doing…"

Jamie just shakes his head and offers his partner a small smile as they head for their patrol car. The weekend had forced him to face some pretty tough life lessons sooner than expected but after he and Danny had come through so much together he finally felt the distance gap between them close even more; their harrowing ordeal bringing them closer together as brothers and friends. And while he still wasn't sure, much like the rest of his family, if Luca Rinaldi would actually just push back from the table and call it a day or try to make a vengeful play once again, for now he was going to concentrate on the fact that he had a new sparring partner; one that would ensure he'd be in fighting shape for the next round of battle if they were called to fight.

**THE END!**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well hope you all liked this ending and thanks so much for your amazing support! It's a bit open ended so that I could come back and deal more with Jamie's nightmares and after math and of course Rinaldi wanting to finish what he started, but I have a few other story ideas first so please review before you go and let me know a final thought and if you'd eve like another short story follow up and stay tuned for more. thanks again!

A special thank you to those of you that don't have accounts but always leave amazing feedback. I truly do appreciate your time and comments and hope you like the new Blue Bloods stories that Alice and I have planned for you all over the summer.

Stay tuned for more adventures to come! :D


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